ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW
SUBMITTED TO:
OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND ANALYSIS
JUNE 2012
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Glossary………..…....……4
Overview...…...….5
I. Mission and Purpose of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing .…………..10
II. Accreditation ………....………..………....….13
III. Instruction A. Undergraduate Programs ….……….……..……….15
B. Graduate Programs ...33
C. Overview of Faculty ...62
IV. Research and Scholarship ………..……65
V. Service ……….….…74
VI. Other Program Goals………..…80
VII. Strengths and Opportunities that Support Achievement of Program Goal…..87
VIII. Weaknesses and Threats that Impede Program Progress ……….…….….…...88
IX. Resource Analysis ………...……….…...89
X. Major Findings and Recommendations………..…..….95
APPENDICES: Mission and purpose of the program
Appendix I-A: Congruence of College and University Mission and Philosophy Appendix I-B: College of Nursing Strategic Plan
Appendix I-C: Richard Seel’s 4-D model: Discover, Dream, Design and Destiny Appendix I-D: College of Nursing Philosophy
Appendix I-E: Congruence of College and University Strategic Plans
APPENDICES: Accreditation
Appendix II-A: Recommendations from Academic Program Review 2005
APPENDICES: Instruction A. Undergraduate Programs
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Appendix III-A (1): CON Nursing Faculty Appendix III-A (2): Student Enrollment
Appendix III-A (3): SPOT Scores: Course Satisfaction Appendix III-A (4): SPOT Scores: Quality of Instruction Appendix III-A (5): BSN Program Assessment Summary Appendix III-A (6): Academic Learning Compact
Appendix III-A (7): Graduation Data for Baccalaureate Program (RN/BSN students)
B. Graduate Programs
Appendix III-B (1): National Certifying Bodies
Appendix III-B (2): National Certification Pass Rates for MSN Students Appendix III-B (3): MSN Graduation Rates, 2008-2012
Appendix III-B (4): MSN Program Assessment Plan Appendix III-B (5): EBI Exit Survey for Masters Students Appendix III-B (6): Supply-Demand Projections for Nurses
Appendix III-B (7): 2009-2010 AACN/EBI Masters Exit Survey Data
Appendix III-B (8): American Nurses Credentialing Center Aggregate Data Report Appendix III-B (9): DNP Program Assessment Summary
Appendix III-B (10): DNP Capstone Projects
Appendix III-B (11): 2010-2011 DNP EBI Exit Survey results Appendix III-B (12): PhD Program Assessment
Appendix III-B (13): Graduation Rates for PhD Program
C. Overview of Faculty
Appendix III-C (1): Trends in Number of Faculty, 2001 - 2011 Appendix III-C (2): Faculty Devoted to Instruction
Appendix III-C (3): Faculty Diversity
Appendix III-C (4): Programmatic and Instructional Proposals Appendix III-C (5): Faculty Salaries
Appendix III-C (6): Salary Comparisons
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APPENDICES: Research and Scholarship
Appendix IV-A (1): CON Faculty Research/Program/Service Proposals Appendix IV-A (2): Research Program Assessment Plan
APPENDICES: Service
Appendix V-A (1): Extramural Service Exemplars Appendix V-A (2): Faculty Service Assessment Plan
APPENDIX: Resource Analysis
Appendix IX-A: College of Nursing Budget Summary Analysis
APPENDICES: Departmental Dashboard Indicators
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Glossary AACN – American Association of Colleges of Nursing AANP – American Academy of Nurse Practitioners ADFL – Administrative & Financial Leadership ADHN – Advanced Holistic Nursing
AHN-BC – Advanced Holistic Nursing Board Certified ALC – Academic Learning Compact
ANCC – American Nurses Credentialing Center ANP – Adult Nurse Practitioner
ARNP – Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education CNE – Clinical Nurse Educator
CNL – Clinical Nurse Leader CON – College of Nursing
DDI – Departmental Dashboard Indicators DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
DROP – Deferred Retirement Option Plan EBI – Educational Benchmarking Institute FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
FTE – Full-Time Enrolled
GAAN – Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need GNP – Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
HRSA – Health Resources and Services Administration NCLEX – National Council Licensure Exam
NE – Nurse Educator
NIH – National Institute of Health
NINR – National Institute of Nursing Research NP – Nurse Practitioner
SPOT – Students’ Perception of Teaching SREB – Southern Regional Education Board
SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats PCORI – Patient Centered Outcomes Research Initiative POS – Plan of Study
PSL – Port St. Lucie
TCC – Treasure Coast Campus
TEAS – Test of Essential Academic Skills VC – videoconferencing
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Academic Program Review Overview of the Document
This document includes an overview of the college and the following sections: I. Mission and Purpose of the College, II. Accreditation, III. Instruction, IV. Research and Scholarship, V.
Service, VI. Other Program Goals, VII. Strengths and Opportunities that Support Achievement of Goals, VIII. Weaknesses and Threats that Impede Program Progress, IX. Resource Analysis and X. Major Findings and Recommendations. Each section includes a discussion of the topic supplemented by tables where appropriate. Sections I, III, IV, V, and VI, include SWOT analyses. The Appendices provide supplemental and background information.
OVERVIEW OF THE CHRISTINE E. LYNN COLLEGE OF NURSING The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has a rich and impressive history that continues to be written today. In just over 33 years, the College has grown from ten to
approximately 1,500 students, expanded its programs to include baccalaureate through doctoral, moved from a division in the College of Social Science to a free-standing College, expanded offerings to three campuses, established eminent scholar chairs and professorships focused on advancing nursing knowledge, and created six major centers/institutes that provide the
opportunity for research, education, and interprofessional collaboration.
The College of Nursing, as an integral part of Florida Atlantic University, is committed to the pursuit of higher education grounded in the arts, sciences and humanities, and is a leader in nursing education and research focused on caring. The College is unique in this dedication to caring: advancing the science, practicing the art, studying its meaning and living caring day-to- day. The College defines nursing as “nurturing the wholeness of person and environment through caring.” This unique approach to nursing education is described in Living a Caring-Based
Program (Boykin, 1994). Written by faculty and edited by the former dean Dr. Anne Boykin, this book describes how a commitment to caring guides all activities within the College. The College has established the first and only Archives of Caring scholarship in the world; it currently includes the works of prominent scholars in the field.
FAU’s nursing program is 33 years old. In December 1978, the Florida Board of Regents approved implementation of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree at Florida Atlantic
University. Four local citizens contributed the up-front money to begin the program for which the state subsequently assumed support. Nursing began as a Division within the College of Social Science. The initial program began in 1979 as an RN-BS program. In June 1982, the State Board of Nursing approved the admission of generic BSN students for fall 1982. In 1988, the Division of Nursing began offering programs of study leading to a Master’s degree, and in
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1989 the Division of Nursing became a free-standing School of Nursing. In 1990 it was legislatively approved to become a College. In January 2002, the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS) program began, and in 2006 the Board of Governors granted permission for the College to replace the DNS with the PhD in Nursing. An accelerated BS track for second-degree students was introduced in 2003. In 2007 the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program was approved.
Approximately 1,500 students are enrolled in the four programs within the College:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing (including Post MS Certificate), Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy, or as non-degree students. In fall 2011, the College enrolled 1,214 undergraduate students, 429 Master’s students, 93 Doctoral students and eight unclassified students. The College has one of the largest graduate enrollments of any college of nursing in the state of Florida. The specialty tracks offered in the Master’s program are: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult /Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Leader, Administrative and Financial Leadership, Advanced Holistic Nursing, and Nursing Education.
The student body in the College of Nursing is very diverse. Over 50 % of the students are from underrepresented ethnic minority groups in nursing, and 12 % are male.
The College currently offers courses and/or entire programs of study on three campuses.
The programs offered at the three campuses are:
Table 1
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Programs by Campus
Boca Raton Campus Davie Campus Treasure Coast Campus
as of May 2012
Traditional BSN Program
Accelerated BSN Program
RN-BS
Master’s Program - o (all tracks)
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Doctor of Philosophy
RN-BS Program *
Master’s Program – FNP * RN-BS Program *
Master’s Program – FNP, ANP, GNP *
*Courses for the degree are available online and through videoconferencing. Live NP courses are available on the Treasure Coast campus. Not all courses for the degree are offered on-site at these campuses.
Student enrollment in the CON has increased significantly over the past four years. Total enrollment has grown from 1,299 in Fall 2008 to 1,472 in Fall 2011, and Spring 2012 enrollment was 1,537. This shows a consistent trend of enrollment growth for the College of Nursing. The most significant increase was in doctoral enrollment from 53 in Fall 2009 to 81 in Fall 2011.
This was due to the implementation of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The College of Nursing enrolls about 10% of all FAU graduate students.
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Table 2
Enrollment (Head Count) in the College of Nursing from Fall 2008-Fall 2011
Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011
Pre Nursing 440 393 438 541
Nursing 404 212 161 149
RN-BS 280 327 363 390
Master of Science 154 276 284 311
DNP 14 25 39 40
PhD * 28 44 41
Total 1299 1261 1329 1472
*Reliable data not reported
Overall, the data showed an increase in MS degree production (+13) and a large increase in doctoral degree production (+19). The sharp increase in the doctoral degree production reflects the new DNP graduates. Measures of FTE/faculty and degree production/faculty show the
pattern above with substantial increases at the doctoral level.
Courses and entire programs are accessible through distance learning using online, videoconferencing and intensive course formats. The entire RN-BS and the Master’s Program track in Administrative and Financial Leadership are available online. Core courses in the RN- BS and Master’s programs are delivered through video conferencing to the three campuses. (The Port St. Lucie RN/BS program and the Nurse Practitioner tracks in the Master’s program are transitioning to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute due to budgetary constraints). Both the DNP and PhD programs are offered through a unique combination of weekend classes and online instruction. In this way the programs are accessible to working nurses who live at a distance from the Boca Raton Campus.
The College of Nursing has contracts with approximately130 healthcare agencies throughout southeastern Florida for clinical experiences for our undergraduate students and approximately 500 agencies for practicum experiences for our graduate students. Over the years, several hospitals have supported clinical faculty positions and partnered with the College to collaborate on nursing education, research and practice initiatives. The Dean holds quarterly meetings with nursing practice leaders called Dialogues with Colleagues. These dialogues are critical for communication and feedback with the healthcare community.
Many generous benefactors have supported the College of Nursing. Specifically, Christine E. Lynn and her late husband, Eugene, have given many gifts to the College. Mrs.
Lynn’s continued support over more than two decades has allowed the College to enhance its programs, especially those focused on caring, gerontology and community outreach to the underserved.
In October 2006, the new home of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing was dedicated. The building was made possible by a $10 million gift from Mrs. Lynn and was matched in full with state funding. The College’s state-of-the-art facility is a green building, one of the few “gold-rated” LEED educational buildings in the United States, with design features that reflect the caring philosophy and feng shui concepts. The new facility, which positions the College to provide innovative leadership in nursing education, reflects Mrs. Lynn’s belief in and
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passion for nursing. In March 2009, Mrs. Lynn donated $600,000 to create a faculty
enhancement fund. The fund provided opportunities to recognize faculty who consistently go above and beyond in supporting the mission and goals of the College.
The College of Nursing has an excess of $15.5 million endowment supporting two eminent scholar chairs, three professorships, earmarked funds for nursing research and scholarships, and discretionary funds. One endowed professorship is yet to be filled. This endowment funding reflects the outreach and trust in the work of the faculty.
In addition to endowed scholarships, the College has received a significant amount of scholarship, fellowship and traineeship funds from other sources to support its students.
Approximately $1.1 million in scholarship awards were distributed in 2011-12 including: private scholarships, scholarships for disadvantaged students, the GAANN fellowship program
supporting five PhD students, Advanced Nurse Traineeships of $98,443 and $184,875 in stipends for full-time doctoral students. In addition, the College has received $91,792 from the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students and the Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Program to support students. The Jonas Nurse Scholar Program supporting one graduate student will be awarded in Fall 2012.
Dr. Marlaine Smith has served as Dean of the College of Nursing since July 2011. A cadre of 42 full-time and 16 part-time faculty fulfill the missions of the College through teaching, research and service. Faculty have been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for their contributions to nursing and the community. Approximately one dozen faculty have
published highly regarded nursing books; several have research and education projects funded by NIH and HRSA; six are fellows in the American Academy of Nursing, six are fellows in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the National Academies of Practice, three are Fulbright Scholars and two have been designated Robert Wood Johnson fellows in the past.
Faculty scholars are known for their work in transforming care environments, health equity, healthy aging, and holistic health.
The College’s Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship, headed by the Associate Dean for Nursing Research and Scholarship and staffed by a Statistician (Assistant Professor) and two Research Coordinators, is dedicated to supporting faculty research and developing faculty scholarship. The Office provides a full suite of pre- and post-award services to the entire faculty, including statistical support, maintenance of a research and funding database,
administering competition for intramural funding for pilot studies, editing/consultation for
manuscripts and grants preparation, and consultation for research program direction. The College has intensified its focus on research since 2004 when the Office of Nursing Research and
Scholarship was established.
Six centers and institutes within the College serve as vehicles for fulfillment of the College missions of teaching, research and service. The Christine E. Lynn Center for Caring focuses on humanizing health care through partnerships with community organizations. The College addresses the needs of the community by developing programs and initiatives related to aging and gerontology. The Anne Boykin Institute for the Advancement of Caring in Nursing will generate and nurture caring-based projects that have potential to transform healthcare in the
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local community and beyond. The Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center offers caregiver support, diagnostic services, and day care for those living with memory changes. The Diabetes Education and Research Center, funded by the Palm Health Foundation offers cutting edge care to those with or at-risk for diabetes through nurse managed interprofessional clinic.
The Nursing Leadership Institute offers programs that support novice nurses’ transitions into practice and the growth of nurse leaders. The Initiative for Intentional Health supports programs related to holistic health and healing such as yoga, mindfulness meditation and tai chi. The College of Nursing is in the process of developing a Faculty Practice Plan that can further extend the reach and influence of these Centers to the community. More information about the College of Nursing can be obtained through its website at http://nursing.fau.edu.
The College of Nursing does not have departments therefore evaluation data reflect program levels, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral. Faculty often teach across programs;
therefore, program results relate to the faculty as a whole. CON Program Review Data
(Dashboard Data) and Assessment Reporting Plans and results are available for the years 2008- 09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Each program description ends with a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis for the College as a whole is in the final section of this report. Recommendations from the previous program review (2005) have been addressed where possible.
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I. A. Mission and Purpose of the Program
As an integral part of Florida Atlantic University, the Christine E. Lynn College of
Nursing (CON) is committed to the pursuit of higher education grounded in the arts, sciences and humanities. CON faculty support the University mission of research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching, and active engagement with its communities and the CON is dedicated to caring: advancing the science, studying the meaning, practicing the art, and living caring day-to- day. The congruence between the College of Nursing and University Mission and Philosophy are illustrated in Appendix I-A.
In May 2010, the College created a new Strategic Plan (see Appendix I-B) which is congruent with the university 2012-2017 strategic plan. In order to develop the College’s strategic plan it was decided to use the process of Appreciative Inquiry. The approach was developed by Cooperrider and Srivasta (1987) and is based on the concept that “organizations change in the direction in which they inquire”; those that appreciate what is best about them are more likely to build a future where the best is manifest. The approach came from Richard’s Seel’s work. http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk/introduction_to_ai.htm
There are four distinct phases to his 4-D model: Discover Dream, Design and Destiny.
(Appendix I-C) The process began in the Spring and Summer 2009 with a consultant conducting interviews with members of the College’s communities of interest to discover “the best of what is” in the College and their hopes and dreams for the future. These interviews were analyzed for themes, and another consultant guided the faculty in the dream phase to answer the question
“What might be possible? or What is the world calling for?” This occurred during the Faculty Retreat on August 18, 2009. After the dream phase, groups were constituted to design or co- construct the strategic plan, and finally the destiny phase focused on empowering, learning, adjusting, and improving the strategic plan.
The College of Nursing’s philosophy (http://nursing.fau.edu/index.php?main=1&nav=635) is consistent with FAU Values as recently articulated in the University Catalog (see Appendix I-D).
This philosophy reflects the belief that nursing is a discipline of knowledge and a field of professional practice grounded in caring. The values of the faculty concerning the nature of Person, Environment, Nursing, and Learning guide the actions of the faculty. Caring is the central concept of the philosophy. Caring is studied and understood both as lived in the ordinariness of life and as a central domain of knowledge of the discipline of nursing. Persons are recognized as caring and uniquely connected with others and the environment. All
interactions are opportunities to live caring. Caring is recognized as a central domain of nursing by the community of scholars within the discipline; therefore, as members of the discipline, the faculty perceive an obligation to study and advance the substantive knowledge of caring in nursing.
The philosophy truly serves as a beacon to guide the College missions of teaching, research/creative work, and service. The College is internationally known for this strong caring philosophy and values. Several faculty, including the Dean, are renowned scholars in caring.
National and international visitors come to the College to learn more about grounding educational, research, and service programs in caring.
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The CON mission, vision, philosophy and strategic plan are congruent with the university mission, vision, and strategic plan (see Appendix I-E).
Florida Atlantic University Mission
Florida Atlantic University is a multi-campus public research university that pursues excellence in its missions of research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching, and active engagement with its communities.
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Mission
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is dedicated to caring; advancing the science, studying the meaning, practicing the art, and living caring day-to-day.
Florida Atlantic University Vision
Florida Atlantic University aspires to be recognized as a university known for excellent and accessible undergraduate and graduate education, distinguished for the quality of its programs across multiple campuses and classified as a very high research institution that is internationally acclaimed for its contributions to creativity and research as well as its collaborations with regional partners.
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Vision
Our vision is a world in which health and well-being are transformed locally, nationally, and globally through nursing grounded in caring.
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Table 3
Program Mission and Purpose SWOT Analysis Strengths
The philosophy and values of caring guide the missions, strategic goals and objectives of the College of Nursing.
There is consistency between the University and College of Nursing mission, philosophy, and strategic goals and program objectives.
The faculty recently developed a new strategic plan that will guide the future direction of the College.
The faculty and administrators in the College of Nursing participate actively in the governance of the University.
Faculty are actively engaged in the governance of the College of Nursing.
There are opportunities for student engagement in the governance of the College.
There are strong relationships with and commitment to the College of Nursing’s communities of interest.
A dynamic College of Nursing website provides updated information to communities of interest.
Weaknesses
Student participation on College of Nursing committees is inconsistent.
The College five year plan was developed in 2010 before the FAU the FAU 2012-2017 strategic plan.
Opportunities
Budget cuts force any unit to more clearly define and focus on priorities
Threats
Budget cuts threaten the College’s ability to enact strategic plan
Recommendations
Re-examine priorities to focus on what matters most
Strengthen partnerships with community leaders to support achievement of strategic goals
Encourage student nurse organization to improve participation in the College of Nursing
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II. ACCREDITATION
The programs of the College of Nursing are fully accredited with no deficiencies.
Table 4
Institutional Accreditation
INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITOR LAST REVIEW (year)
NEXT SCHEDULED REVIEW (year) Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools 2002 2013
Table 5
Specialized Accreditation SPECIALIZED ACCREDITOR LAST REVIEW
(year)
NEXT SCHEDULED REVIEW (year)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education Baccalaureate: 2004
Master’s: 2004 Doctor of Nursing
Practice: 2010
Baccalaureate: 2014
Master’s: 2014
DNP: 2014
Findings from last review: In the spring of 2004, the CON was awarded full accreditation from CCNE for ten years with no areas of deficiency. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program was accredited for 5 years with no deficiencies.
There were four recommendations from the 2005 Nursing Program Review (see Appendix II-A.) The first goal “Implement and evaluate the new NCLEX plan” has been implemented and has strengthened the undergraduate curriculum. Licensure pass rates have remained stable exceeding national pass rates. Goal 2 “Secure additional administrative, faculty, and staff positions” has been an ongoing challenge. The number of faculty has actually
decreased. Faculty recruitment has been hampered by budgetary cutbacks beginning in 2008 and the loss of senior faculty to retirement and recruitment to other universities within and outside the state of Florida. Heavy losses will continue in the next 2-3 years for faculty as faculty retire.
We are competing to recruit talented faculty in an environment with high salaries in practice settings, proprietary universities and competition within and outside the state. Since the last program review the College has increased the number of professional staff to assume the growing administrative work of the College. Staff positions have been created to support and expand the work of the Office of Research and Scholarship and Academic Programs. Full-time staff additions include two Research Coordinators, one Academic Coordinator and one
Administrative Coordinator, two Information Technology Coordinators (one for computer applications and one database management), a receptionist for Student Services, a Program Assistant for the Doctoral Programs, Program Assistant for the Davie campus, and Academic
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Coordinator for the Port St. Lucie campus (who will not be continuing in 2012-13 due to budget cuts) and a Lab Coordinator/Simulation Specialist for the Casual Learning Area (learning lab).
Additional staff have been critical in strengthening the student advisement process, supporting faculty research and grant submissions, and improving efficiency with technology. We have made great strides regarding Goal 3 to “secure resources to support students and achieve research.” The additional staff identified above have supported Goal 3. In the past year the College of Nursing has had increased research funding, with five large grants funded. We have met the fourth goal "Create innovative programs to respond to workforce issues and demands".
A number of innovative programs have been created to meet the workforce needs including the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the accelerated option BS in nursing program for
individuals with a degree in another field, the Clinical Nurse Leader track, the Emerging Leaders Track and the Novice Nurse Leadership Institute to build leadership in practicing nurses, and a Holistic Health graduate track endorsed for the next five years by the American Holistic Nurses’
Credentialing Corporation.
Major changes made since last review: Several new programs have been initiated: the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the second degree Accelerated Option BS Program, the Clinical Nurse Leader, Emerging Leader, and Advanced Holistic Nursing tracks in the Master’s program and a Novice Nurse Leadership Institute.
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The nursing education programs offered at FAU address gaps in the health care system, as do the College's initiatives linking students to diverse and international populations. The College of Nursing has a history of pioneering leadership in caring-based education and having the first nursing education programs in the State of Florida fully endorsed at all levels by the American Holistic Nurses’ Credentialing Corporation.
A. Undergraduate Nursing Programs 2008-2012
The following section of the report provides a comprehensive overview of the
undergraduate nursing programs of the CON including information on program assessment and improvement, enrollment trends, student diversity, student perception of teaching and quality of advising. Finally, a summary of the undergraduate program with strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats will be presented.
Introduction
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BS) degree is the critical first step for a career in professional nursing. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, recognizes the BS degree as the minimum educational requirement for professional nursing practice. Recommendations by AACN state that education has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nurse clinician, as it does for all healthcare providers.
Nurses with BSN degrees are well-prepared to meet the demands placed on today's nurse.
BSN nurses are valued for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. Nurse executives, federal agencies, the military, leading nursing organizations, health care foundations, magnet hospitals, and minority nurse advocacy groups all recognize the unique value that baccalaureate-prepared nurses bring to the practice setting.
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s baccalaureate program is approved by the Florida State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The College is a member of CCNE, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The baccalaureate program provides three routes to the BSN: the Traditional and Accelerated second-degree options as pre-licensure programs, and the RN to BSN completion program for licensed nurses with the associate degree. Graduates of the undergraduate program at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing are unparalleled in their skill at approaching caring from the perspective of patient-centered model; graduates are guided to live nursing as caring from the moment they enter our program. Our College is known internationally and nationally for our focus on caring and our graduates are sought for practice positions.
The College of Nursing offers all nursing students access to a wide variety of educational and clinical experiences mentored by expert nursing faculty. Undergraduate nursing students
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have excellent access to a range of nursing situations with persons, families and communities across the life and from diverse cultures. Select clinical sites include:
Boca Helping Hands, a mission to provide compassionate service through food and assistance programs to individuals, families, and children to instill dignity and break the cycle of dependence
AD Henderson University School at FAU, a K-12 school with 692 students in which students work in the school nurse role
Hospice by the Sea, a not-for-profit, community-based provider of hospice care, palliative care, caregiver support, bereavement counseling
Miami Children’s Hospital, with 289 pediatric and neonatal beds; the hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medical care from birth through adolescence
Morse Life, providing comprehensive geriatric care and service in the spirit of Jewish traditions and values
Redlands Christian Migrant Association, a day-care and pre-school for migrant workers of Palm Beach County
South Florida State Hospital, a 355 bed psychiatric hospital providing long-term psychiatric care
Pathways rehabilitation center
In general, didactic courses in all tracks of the undergraduate program are taught by tenured or tenure-track faculty who are doctorally-prepared. Faculty who teach in any clinical course are prepared with a master’s degree in nursing with a clinical focus on a population of interest in addition to significant clinical experience, or certification with a population of care [See Appendix III-A (1).] Many of our faculty are active in clinical practice increasing the clinical relevance of their teaching.
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing BS in nursing degree prepares graduates to enter professional positions in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings with clients of all ages from diverse populations, or for advancement to a graduate degree program in nursing.
Enrollment trends
Enrollment in the pre-licensure programs at FAU is limited due to availability of clinical learning facilities and the availability of qualified faculty to maintain appropriate faculty-to- student ratios in all clinical practice settings. Currently, the Traditional BS program enrolls 36 students annually while the Accelerated BS program enrolls 44 students annually. These numbers represent a steady increase in enrollment in the last six years. Many qualified applicants are turned away due to an insufficient number of faculty to support program expansion, For example in 2010, there were 490 applicants to the traditional program and 30 accepted. With additional funding for faculty, we will be able to increase student enrollment by an additional 50% in 2013.
Although enrollment in the undergraduate program has increased since 2009, the
traditional program enrollment declined temporarily in 2010 secondary to a decision to close the
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program on the Port St. Lucie Campus. After one year of lower than usual NCLEX pass results, we offered NCLEX preparation courses to improve program outcomes. However, after a second year of low NCLEX pass rates, a retrospective review of factors associated with those unsuccessful on the NCLEX was conducted. This review indicated that the unsuccessful NCLEX graduates were primarily students on a satellite campus. A data- based decision was made to centralize the pre-license program on the Boca Raton campus.
Overall, the traditional program enrollment increased from 25 new admissions in 2009 to 36 new students admitted in May 2012 [See Appendix III-A (2).]
Both the Accelerated Option and RN-BS programs have experienced significant growth in the same time frame. Enrollment in the Accelerated program grew slightly from 37 to 44 new students admitted annually between 2009 and 2012. However, during that same timeframe, the RN-BS grew significantly from 25 students admitted in 2009 to 249 admitted in 2011, and 209 admitted in the first six months of 2012. This increase may be attributed to more aggressive recruiting at hospitals, career fairs, nursing
meetings/conventions, and community/state colleges. As in the traditional program, numerous qualified applicants to the Accelerated program must be turned away each year despite the acute need for nurses in Florida and across the country. From 2008 to 2012, there were 425, 262, 490 and 358 applicants respectively and 30-44 accepted each year.
Expansion of the RN-BS program was feasible because students are licensed when
admitted and do not require the small faculty to student ratio that is required in the clinical supervision of pre-license students.
Curriculum
The program consists of lower division, (general education and required pre-professional courses), and upper division nursing courses. Lower division course work may be completed at Florida Atlantic University, a state college, or another four-year institution. Students apply to the upper division traditional nursing program during the sophomore year to enroll in nursing course work in the summer semester between the sophomore and junior year. Admission is dependent upon completion of 60 semester hours, which include both FAU general education requirements and nursing prerequisites. The University and the College of Nursing adhere to the common prerequisites for nursing (Common Prerequisites Counseling Manual). Common Prerequisites must be the same within the State University System to facilitate efficient transfer among all 38 public Florida postsecondary institutions. Students must complete the prerequisite courses prior to being admitted to the upper-division major. Students who do not complete these prerequisites can be admitted to the University, but not to the upper-division major. A grade of
“C” is the minimum acceptable grade.
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Table 6
Differences in Admissions Criteria and Program Length for BS Program Tracks
Traditional Program Accelerated BS Option RN-BS Program
GPA Minimum cumulative
GPA of 3.0
Bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA (as calculated by awarding institution). Post-baccalaureate classes are not included in this calculation
Minimum GPA of 2.75 with Completion of 60 lower division college credits from an accredited institution or an Associate's degree program in nursing.
Florida Common Pre- requisites
60 Pre-Nursing requirements with a minimum grade of "C"
Nursing pre-requisite courses completed with a grade of “C”
or better
Nursing pre-requisite courses completed with a grade of
“C” or better
Entrance exams Minimum "TEAS V" score of 74% Minimum "TEAS V" score of Preference given to 74%
FAU pre-nursing students
Program
Credits 60 credits 55 credits 40 credits +
20 validated credits
The outcome objectives of the Undergraduate Program are that the graduate will be able to: Unfold a personal journey of coming to know and care for self.
Synthesize knowledge from the sciences, arts and humanities as a foundation for generalist practice in nursing.
Use nursing theories and research to guide caring-based reflective nursing practice.
Use multiple patters of knowing in responding critically and reflectively to calls within nursing situations in generalist nursing practice.
Create caring responses guided by professional standards of practice.
Demonstrate integrity and accountability in all situations.
Practice nursing safely and ethically in generalist practice.
Provide care for and with others with awareness of and respect for cultural differences.
Use systematic inquiry to inform decision-making, create nursing responses, and evaluate outcomes.
Demonstrate competence in using patient care technologies and information systems to promote well-being, facilitate decision-making and enhance collaboration.
Use effective, professional, caring communication in written, verbal and digital formats.
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Promote well-being for persons and populations across the lifespan in a variety of settings.
Create environments that nurture the wholeness of persons served.
Improve quality and safety within complex environments for healthcare delivery.
Participate in social and political activities that improve healthcare for all.
Advocate for public policy that honors human dignity and health equity.
Affect change through caring leadership to improve quality health outcomes for persons served.
Collaborate with nurses and other healthcare professionals in providing care in complex healthcare systems.
Care for the environment through stewardship of fiscal, material and natural resources.
Engage in activities that contribute to development of the profession and self as professional.
The Traditional BS program is 60 credit hours in five semesters providing learning experiences in a variety of clinical settings, including community health agencies, clinics,
hospitals and homes. Nursing courses include classroom and laboratory activities correlated with 845 hours of supervised clinical practice experiences across the lifespan and in a range of venues including acute care, ambulatory, health promotion, and community or population care settings.
High-fidelity simulated nursing situations are also integral educational tools in preparing students to enter the complex and evolving clinical arena. Students have the opportunity to analyze a variety of issues in professional nursing practice and health care.
Clinical experiences occur in a range of settings throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties. Several main facilities serve as base sites for our students; students remain in their main clinical site for all medical-surgical and any available special population clinical
experiences. Clinical groups of up to 12 students (maximum clinical group size as defined by the Florida Board of Nursing) are assigned by zip code. The clinical groups remain intact throughout the program building teams and facilitating collaborative learning. This clinical plan serves both our community partners and students as these long-term placements provide students the opportunity to be oriented to the facility and determine fit for the future employment options.
In addition, students are assigned to clinical settings in the community and settings serving childbearing, childrearing, mental health, hospice, and gerontological populations, to name a few.
The undergraduate program at FAU is uniquely designed to teach nursing from the nursing situation. All nursing knowledge is taught through the context of the nursing situation.
With intention, we avoid teaching our students to view nursing expertise as objectification and quantification. The faculty of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing teach our students the cherished nursing ideals of presence, touch, relationship, knowing, and caring as foundational to practice. Our students are taught to respond to calls for nursing in practice. The call is described as an acknowledgement and affirmation of the person living caring in specific ways in the
immediate situation.
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Calls for nursing are most frequently subjective in format and expressed as quotes by client or significant others. Calls for nursing may be a description of non-verbal communication or body language and are identified by “what matters (most) to the patient.” This approach to teaching nursing marks our program as unique not only in the State University System, but in the whole of the United States as well. Students are also introduced to a basic understanding of how evidence is developed, including the research process and clinical reasoning in nursing.
Baccalaureate graduates are prepared to practice as a generalist across the lifespan and in a variety of settings. Students will understand and respect variations in care and increased
complexity across continuums of care. The transition course is the culminating clinical practice experience in the program and provides opportunity for integration and synthesis of previous concepts and professional role behaviors.
The Accelerated Option Baccalaureate Program
In response to the growing crisis of the nationwide nursing shortage, the faculty of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing created an alternate path for persons with baccalaureate degree or higher in another field to pursue a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Our Accelerated Option BS program draws from a diverse pool of applicants representing a range of
baccalaureate or higher degrees in other disciplines.
The Accelerated BSN builds on previous learning experiences and transitions individuals with undergraduate and graduate degrees from other fields into nursing. Courses, course
sequencing, and clinical experiences in the accelerated option parallel the existing baccalaureate curriculum. The Accelerated Baccalaureate curriculum begins each summer and is completed in three consecutive semesters of full-time, intensive study with 810 hours of clinical experience.
Graduates of the Accelerated Option program are highly sought after by employers because of the range of education and life skill that these graduates bring to the workplace.
Employers report that these graduates are more mature, possess strong clinical reasoning skills, and readily transition to the clinical demands of a new job.
The RN to BS Completion Program
The undergraduate program at FAU opened as an RN-BS completion program in 1981.
This program remains vibrant with 435 students currently enrolled. In five years this program has grown from an average program enrollment of 25 new students admitted in 2009 to well over 250 new students admitted in 2011 and 2012 (year to date). The program builds on the strength of the pre-licensure curriculum and focuses on content that was not part of the curriculum of the associate degree in nursing programs.
The RN-BS program at FAU is highly desirable because of the unique flexibility built into the program. Students can be admitted in any semester and are not enrolled as a cohort. The program is specifically designed to accommodate the adult learner. For example, students may take as few or as many courses per semester as is reasonable for them. The program is also offered through multiple teaching methods (live, online or hybrid, as well as intensive delivery courses) at three locations. Students decide which locations and teaching methods best fit their
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personal learning styles and schedules. This flexibility and student-focused approach is universally one of the valued features of our program.
Courses in our 40 credit hour curriculum include:
Nursing as a Discipline and Profession
Nurse as Scholar
Nursing Situations with Individuals, Families & Groups
Nursing Research
Nursing Situations: Health Assessment Modalities
Pharmacotherapeutics
Pathophysiology
Nursing Elective
Nursing Practice Leadership Integrative Practicum in Nursing
Graduates of the RN-BS program are prepared to improve both patient outcomes and nursing practice, advance to nursing positions of increasing responsibility and leadership, and continue the study of nursing at the graduate level.
Undergraduate Students’ Perception of Quality
A review of the Student Perception of Teaching (SPOT) data [See Appendix III-A (3)) reveal that students rate their courses at a very favorable level (3.0-3.1 on a scale of 1-4 where 4 is excellent); the means are about the same as the FAU mean score; they rate instructors at about the same level (2.9-3.1) and these are consistent with FAU means. The picture is different when looking at the students' overall ratings of advising. Here, student ratings were less favorable (2.5- 2.7). Scores hovered in the fair range for satisfaction with courses, instructors, advising and faculty advising for both undergraduate and graduate students. When asked to rate the quality of instruction (question 20) undergraduates’ ratings were better than the university mean (1.7 compared to 1.9 where 1=excellent and 5=poor) [See Appendix III.A (4).]
Course Delivery Methods
The use of technology is increasing. The number of fully online distance learning courses has grown over the last several years and almost every course is now web-assisted. Web-assisted, video conference and fully online courses have made it possible for students to enroll in courses that they would not have had access to if all courses were live. For example, the clinical courses are hybrid courses conducted live and supplemented with content on Blackboard.
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Table 7
Number of online sections/total number of course sections
Graduate Undergraduate
2008-09 16 14
2009-10 11 17
2010-2011 29 36
2011-2012 26 53
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BS IN NURSING PROGRAM ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Outcomes evaluated for the baccalaureate program, methods, criteria, and data
summaries with program improvement information are described in the following section (See Appendix III-A (5) for a complete report).
Outcome Description 1:
The program achieves the mission of preparing nurses in the understanding of caring as uniquely expressed in nursing situations through the integration of multiple ways of knowing.
Academic Learning Compact (ALC) [See Appendix III-A (6)) categories related to this outcome:
Content knowledge
Declarative Knowledge Communication
Oral communication Critical Thinking
Analytic Skills Creative Skills Practical Skills 1. Assessment method:
AACN/EBI Undergraduate Nursing Education Exit Assessment conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (EBI) is used to evaluate this outcome including graduate, alumni and employer survey responses.
100% of graduates will rate their abilities at 4.0 (satisfactory) on a 7 point scale (7=excellent).
2. Criterion:
The EBI survey results indicate a minimum of 90% concordance in graduate's preparation in caring and multiple ways of knowing.
3. Data Summary 2008-12:
Data from 2010-11 and 2011-12 indicate that graduates are very confident about their understanding of caring and feel well prepared to care for patients using multiple ways of knowing. Comparisons to data from 2008-2010 are not available as outcomes have changed.
In 2010-11, 92.9% of the respondents reported they were well prepared to use and understand multiple ways of knowing, ranking their perception of this objective 6.57 out of a 7 point scale, 100% of the graduates felt they met the objective of understanding the wholeness of others with a rating of 6.85, and 100% of the reporting graduates indicated that they were well prepared to create healing environments for others.
In the 2011-12 survey, the mean score regarding preparation to manage the care of several patients was 6.42 on the 7 point scale indicating that it exceeds the stated criterion of 4.0.
The EBI survey results of the graduates indicate a positive personal view of preparedness for professional practice. In response to the question, how prepared are you to assume the
responsibility and accountability required as a member of the nursing profession, 92.9% of the
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graduates scored their preparation as 7 of 7; the mean score on this item was 6.79 out of 7. This is a high score since, traditionally, new graduates feel insecure in assuming their new roles.
Dean Smith holds quarterly dialogues with nursing leaders in the community in which feedback is sought about graduates. Nurse leaders report that our graduates are “different” as they are more responsive to patient needs and have superior interpersonal communication skills. They would like us to work on improving students’ clinical reasoning skills.
4. Program Improvement:
A direct measure of caring will be implemented in 2012-13. A structured assessment of caring was instituted for students at entrance and at exit to the program using the Caring Ability Inventory1. Based on Mayeroff’s critical elements of caring, the Caring Ability Inventory
provides an assessment of the person’s ability to care when involved in relationship with another.
This will provide a standardized measure of change in caring as a unique outcome of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Undergraduate Program.
In the Spring of 2012, the College of Nursing participated in assessment of multiple dimensions of caring as part of a doctoral student from Kansas University dissertation. Analysis of the data was begun in May. The doctoral student has agreed to share her findings and they will be added to this report when available.
Outcome Description 2:
BSN graduates function effectively as generalists in professional nursing practice.
Academic Learning Compact (ALC) categories related to this outcome:
Content knowledge
Declarative Knowledge
Procedural Knowledge (Technical Skills) Communication
Written Communication Oral communication Critical Thinking
Analytic Skills Creative Skills Practical Skills 1. Assessment method:
Exit examinations are provided to all senior students in the final semester.
Monitor NCLEX (licensure exam) pass rate each quarter.
Monitor post-graduation employment rates in nursing.
Maintain annual assessment of employer satisfaction with FAU nursing graduates.
1Nkongho, N., (1990). The Caring Ability Inventory. In O. Strickland and C. Waltz (Eds.) Measurement of Nursing Outcomes (p. 3-16). New York: Springer.
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a) Exit exam: 80% of all senior students will pass the HESI exit exam with a score of at least 850.
b) NCLEX exam: At least 86% of all first time NCLEX test takers will pass the exam.
c) Employment: At least 80% of all BSN graduates will be employed in nursing practice settings appropriate to their educational preparation.
d) Satisfaction: Graduates are evaluated by EBI survey of employers. Employers will rate graduates at above satisfactory levels and 90% of all employers report satisfaction with the FAU graduate nurse employee. No more than 10% of the outcomes will be in the “unsatisfactory”
range.
3. Data Summary 2008-12:
Trends: Since 2008, senior students’ performance on the exit exam has met expectations of 80%
of all senior students will pass the exit exam with a score of at least 850. Licensure pass rates have been generally quite high. The process of finding employment has been more extended in the last two years but graduates have been successful in finding employment within one year after graduation and few who were seeking employment were unable to find it. In addition, employers report a high level of satisfaction with our graduates.
a) Exit exam: All graduating pre-license BS students completed the exit exam late in the final semester. In 2012, 97% of students in the Traditional program, met the criterion of scoring at least 85%. In the accelerated program, 93% met the minimum criterion of scoring 85% or greater on the exit exam. In the Accelerated program, 11% of the students scored in the 95th percentile or greater nationally. Mean exit scores for all graduating undergraduate nursing students in the spring 2011 was 865. This was above our identified criterion of 850 and higher than the national overall mean of 823. In 2008-10 mean HESI scores were satisfactory but some students were unable to achieve a satisfactory individual score.
b) NCLEX exam: The ultimate measure of program success is the NCLEX pass rate. In the 2011 cycle, there was a 93. 5% success rate (N = 62) for FAU BSN graduates. This is well above our acceptable criterion of 86%.
Trends show that pass rates have been consistently high with one year (2010) being somewhat lower. Our review of 2010 NCLEX results indicated that the unsuccessful NCLEX graduates were students who had graduated in December 2009 from a satellite campus.
That was the final graduating class from that campus.
NCLEX pass rate for FAU BS in Nursing students 2008 91.67 (N = 120)
2009 95.77 (N = 71) 2010 84.69 (N = 98) 2011 93.55 (N = 62)
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Graduates of 2012 have not yet been tested. Initial data will be available in the third quarter report of the Board of Nursing, September 2012.
c) Employment: According to the AACN/EBI Undergraduate Nursing Alumni Assessment conducted in 2009-2011, graduates had a somewhat more difficult time finding employment (30- 50% found employment by graduation). Data for 2012 are unavailable at this time. Many do not seek employment until the pass the NCLEX licensure exam.
The Annual EBI Alumni Survey conducted in 2010 indicates that 87.0% graduates were employed in nursing within 1 year of graduation. This is well above our criterion of 80%. In addition, 6.5% are enrolled in graduate education providing increased potential for improvement of health services to the people of Florida.
d) Satisfaction:
1. Employer. Another measure of success with this outcome is that employers will express satisfaction with the graduates as employees. Data for this outcome was collected through the AACN/EBI Nursing Employer Survey and focus group interviews with regional nursing leaders. Those responding rated graduates' abilities in all areas in the satisfactory range.
The most highly rated behaviors were: providing culturally competent care, ethical decision- making, applying research findings in practice and demonstrating responsibility for actions. The least positive ratings were in abilities to coordinate care across environments.
2. Alumni. AACN/EBI Undergraduate Alumni Surveys were distributed to graduates of the BSN program annually at graduation. In 2011-12, 80% of alumni reported that they were well-prepared for their current position and were satisfied with their program. Ratings on these variables were consistently very positive with 93% of alumni satisfied with the job the program did in preparing them for success in their first and current positions. In addition, more than 95%
would recommend the program to a friend. The average ratings on preparation in all areas were above 80% (fair and above).
3. Focus group data: In addition, focus groups with employers were conducted. Focus group members commented on the extraordinary professionalism and groundedness in a philosophical/ethical foundation of caring. They identified technical skills and not enough clinical practice as concerns. They stated that they select FAU graduates above all others to hire and note the improvement that they see in their RN-BS employees as graduates of FAU.
4. Program Improvement:
Exit Exam: In this academic year, the faculty of the College of Nursing made an informed decision to change our exit exam from HESI to the ATI exit exam due to the excellent remediation resources available to students in the ATI system. The course testing and remediation system was integrated into the program beginning in October 2011.
NCLEX exam: Based on 2010 exam results, a data-based decision was made to centralize the pre-license program to the Boca Raton campus.
Outcome Description 3:
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BSN graduates will demonstrate competence in practice with diverse populations and across care settings. BSN nursing graduates will be able to collaborate with persons, families, groups, and colleagues in nursing and other disciplines to promote the well-being of the global
community.
Academic Learning Compact (ALC) categories related to this outcome:
Content knowledge
Declarative Knowledge Communication
Oral communication
Team/Collaborative Communication Critical Thinking
Analytic Skills Practical Skills 1. Assessment method:
Monitor self-assessment of cultural knowledge and collaboration in nursing care using alumni surveys.
Monitor assessment of FAU graduate cultural knowledge in nursing care through annual employer survey.
Approximately two months prior to graduation, all pre-licensure students will take the Exit examination (either HESI or ATI). The college analyzes the results of the exit examination to determine how well the program is preparing students for the nursing profession.
2. Criterion:
Employers and alumni will identify at least 90% satisfaction in cultural knowledge of FAU graduates.
EBI data indicates that graduates are confident in their ability to collaborate with other health care professionals.
100% successful performance on simulations demonstrating skill in culturally competent care and collaboration.
3. Data Summary 2008-12:
Trends: Available data indicate that although most students feel culturally competent, fewer report that they are prepared to work in interprofessional teams.
In 2008-09, no employer rated any of the graduates’ skill/abilities in the unsatisfactory (1 or 2) range. The employers rated the following abilities in the satisfactory range: 1) provide culturally competent care; 2) apply an ethical decision-making framework to clinical situations; 3)
coordinate care across all environments; 4) apply research-based knowledge as a basis for practice; 5) demonstrate accountability for own actions; 6) honors the rights of patients to make
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decisions about their health care; 7) define nursing problems; 8) applies a systematic approach to solving problems.
Most positively rated were 1) abilities to provide culturally competent care; 2) apply an ethical decision-making framework; 3) applying research based knowledge as a basis for practice; 4) demonstrating responsibility for own actions. Least positively rated was the graduates’ ability to coordinate care across all environments.
Nursing leaders in the focus group stated that they preferred to hire our graduates and selected them for residencies over others. They commented on their professionalism and strong
philosophical foundation. Also, they described how the RN-BS students changed after they completed their degree. They pointed out two weaknesses in the program: not enough clinical time, and not enough practice with tasks and skills.
In May 2009, the major employers (N=100) of graduates from our undergraduate program were invited to complete the online EBI Nursing Employer Survey. The survey included 25 questions regarding the preparation and skills of our graduates. Among the respondents, our students were highly ranked. No items were ranked in the unsatisfactory range. In fact, no employer responses rated any graduate in the poor range on any item. The lowest ranking for any response was a 4 on a 7-point scale. Therefore, among the respondents, our students were highly ranked. However, there was a low response rate; therefore, these results may not represent the opinions of the majority of the employers of our graduates.
In 2010-11, 72.7% of students reported that they were taught culturally competent care. But only 50% of students felt they were prepared to work in interprofessional teams. Data for 2011-12 graduates will be available in September 2012.
Most recent data indicate a significant engagement in the community with diverse populations. Analysis of community engagement of CON students most recently revealed that across the undergraduate nursing programs, students completed 55,990 hours of engagement in the community in one year. Site of service included:
Delray Full Service Center – This event ended the community semester of education in health promotion behavior to children, ages three to five. The field event was open and attended by parents and grandparents. Attractions for the children included a bounce house, a refueling water station and a snow cone flavor station.
Earth Day was a plan to filter water during a disaster. This project was partnered with Caridad Health Clinic. A film demonstrating the filtration system was screen- presented, a nursing-student spokesperson explained the process to the judges, and laminated cards designed by the students with images of the process was available.
Broward Health Department and the Tobacco-Free Partnership of Broward County's SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) committee. We assisted a middle and a high school group with SWAT activities.
Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma – Provided health screening and health education to children on the Cherokee Nation reservation in Oklahoma.
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Broward House Education Center – students made “dignity baskets” (with hygiene products, sheets, etc.) for two new residents (they are homeless, are positive for HIV and have substance abuse); they did an education program for safe sex and HIV prevention.
Golfcrest Health Care – students planted a butterfly garden for the older adult residents.
Hepburn Center in Hallandale – students developed and carried out a social program for physically challenged seniors
Lice Solutions – student volunteered time to conduct research and computerize some of the services
Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen – collected and donated a truck load of food
Hamlin Place – a nursing and rehabilitation center-students hosted a social activity for clients
Boca High School – students taught sex education to 900 freshmen
Broward Partnership for the Homeless – a second program concerning stroke symptoms and prevention was taught
Other sites of community engagement demonstrating our practice with diverse populations in diverse settings include:
Hospice of South east Florida
Hospice of Palm Beach County
VITAS (Broward & Palm Beach)
Hospice by the Sea
La Leche Meetings with Palm Beach County
Karen Slattery Child Center (FAU)
Florence Fuller Daycare Center Boca Raton, FL
Redlands Christian Migratory Association Daycare Center 4. Program Improvement:
Diversity and cultural competencies are integrated into the curriculum with a curriculum thread so that examples of cultural differences in nursing situations are integrated throughout the
curriculum in individual courses. Students are engaged in both group and independent learning in the Casual Learning Area and in simulated learning experiences. Additional strategies to
measure cultural competence are under development.
We implemented interprofessional team-based learning activities to develop and enhance communication and collaboration skills. Students attend topically focused interprofessional workshops focusing on content such as differentiating roles, enhancing communication, problem-solving ethical issues, and exploring interdisciplinary approaches to public policy. In addition, one geriatric-focused program has each undergraduate pre-license student assigned to a team with a medical and social-work student; the team works with a mentor, defined as an older adult living in a geriatric community, whose role it is to help the team get to know healthy aging.
The team’s purpose is to learn to work together and to assess the elder, identifying commonalities in the interprofessional view and highlighting unique approaches.
