1

Improving the Quality of Nursing Education: Some Strategies

I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. Albert Einstein In the era of quality orientation, human rights and a consumer-driven society, the quest is for the best quality of education. Quality of education is vital for health care professions including nursing and nurse educators have important roles to play in producing qualified graduates who will meet the needs and expectations of society.1 Adoption of successful teaching strategies enhances learning, encourage higher level thin ing, and facilitate development of competent nurses of tomorrow!. "ursing education prepares nurses to practice in a variety of settings and classroom and clinical teaching are both essential for achieving it. "ursing education programs include the diploma in general nursing and midwifery, the #$c nursing and post #asic #$c nursing, the master%s, and the doctoral programs. &ulti 'urpose (ealth )or er *emale training and *emale (ealth $upervisor training are also conducted in India. +eaching roles in academic field include that of clinical instructor, lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. According to "ational ,eague for "ursing ! to be successful in teaching and learning, the faculty need to view the learning styles from the learner%s point of view, re-thin what students actually do during their clinical experiences and how the time spent in clinical settings can be most effective in helping them learn the practice of nursing. It is also important that nursing faculty remain updated and -connected. to clinical practice to deliver relevant and appropriate education. #y and large, nursing faculty is not aware of the fact that they play a crucial role in the delivery of quality patient care. -"urse /ducators are the ey resource in preparing a nursing wor force that will provide quality care to meet the

health care needs of our population. +hey practice in academic and clinical settings, and they must be competent clinicians.0 1 Irrespective of the academic programs or the teaching position, every nursing faculty is to play mainly three roles to impart quality education to the students. +hey are that of a collaborator, director of student learning and role model 1. All faculty members may neither have to be in all these roles all the time nor is every faculty member expected to ta e every role. 2ery often, these roles overlap. +hat is, a faculty member could act as a role model in directing student learning, appropriate and supervised clinical placements. +he quality of nursing and midwifery education could be evaluated by many indicators such as standard curriculum, number of qualified teachers, number of students passing the examination, receiving a nursing license upon graduation, getting 3obs upon graduation, and number of research grants and number of publications in 3ournals1. +his paper focuses on the three roles that nursing faculty is responsible for ensuring quality education. 1. Collaborator +he impact of moderni4ation, globali4ation and liberali4ation on the society has brought tremendous changes in general and nursing education. +he significant trends in modern education are creativity, changes in teaching - learning process and advanced educational technology. In order to meet these new demands in nursing education, faculty must collaborate with educators from medical, paramedical and nursing practice5 as well as those in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. 6 +he nursing faculty members bring these experts together and coordinate the student learning. +his collaborative mindset enhance student learning and prepare students for the future. Institute of &edicine%s 7eport on education in the health professions8 identifies wor ing within an interdisciplinary team and patient-centered care as two

essential competencies for all members of the health care team. )hen newly licensed nurses did not wor effectively within a health care team or did not now when and how to call a patient%s physician, they were more li ely to be involved in errors in patient care 9. +he nurse educator access and utili4e resources available in the different departments of the hospital for student learning by collaborating with them. It may be technology, other team members etc. +here may be some techniques of teaching learning of other disciplines that could be emulated. A multi disciplinary approach towards nursing education ensures comprehensive learning. 2. irector of Student !earning +he director of student learning role encompasses facilitation of learning, curriculum and course development, evaluation of the course and evaluation of the students. +he faculty should be competent in the art and science of teaching-learning process, curriculum designs and assessment process. 'roper direction with clear ob3ectives is necessary while teaching in the class room, clinical:field settings, in the demonstration room and when carrying out simulations of clinical situations. *inding appropriate clinical venues for quality student learning experiences, finding ways to involve clinical staff, who are overburdened with patient care responsibilities in students% education are effective ways of directing student learning. +hey should eep in mind that students do not need to have -total patient care. assignments all the time. ;eveloping more visionary and organi4ed approaches to nursing education, reducing the emphasis on tas completion and increasing the focus on critical thin ing, clinical 3udgment, contributing to the continuity of care are important points to consider while planning the curriculum. +he development of thoughtful nurses who can practice independently and interdependently and strengthening the value placed on clinical learning are also ey points to be considered by the nursing faculty for effective accomplishment of the curriculum!.

#ringing clinical and classroom together and - eeping the patient with us at all times. is imperative to ma e the learning more meaningful !. #ed side teachings, care studies, bed side rounds, didactic sessions relating to clinical experiences are some measures to ma e the teaching learning patient oriented. *ocusing on s ills and high level thin ing, supporting in coping with the changing clinical context <i.e., rapidly changing health scenario, shortened period of hospitalisation ,new diagnostic tests= are also ways by which student learning can be successfully directed!. ;epending on the designation and 3ob description, the faculty also assumes a managerial role in various levels in the day to day running of the institution and participate in the communication process both hori4ontally and vertically for achieving student learning. ". #ole model "ursing faculty members act as role models for their students and new faculty members. 7ole modelling is especially important during clinical experiences where students learn how to relate to patients, assess the situation, and ma e decisions. 7ole modelling can be mainly in four areas> technical now-how, inter personal effectiveness, critical thin ing and professional

behaviours. (andling medical equipment with care, demonstrating the ability to care for patients, assisting the students in the care when needed, demonstrating caring attitude towards patients and students, listening to change of shift reports, being neat and clean in personal appearance, being organi4ed at the bedside, demonstrating accountability for own actions and being enthusiastic toward nursing care are some examples of role modelling ?. #ehaviors considered professional include involvement in professional organi4ations, engagement in lifelong learning activities and dissemination of information through publications and presentations. -$ince educators are accountable to the discipline, to students, and to the public for the outcomes of

nursing education, they must engage in lifelong learning activities to maintain and expand their expertise in this role..0 According to (unt ;.;., the roles of nursing faculty can be summed up in a range of activities covering three areas@ teaching, service, and scholarship.1A +eaching and learning are the main wor of all faculty members. $ervice is a way of offering one%s time or energy in the life of the college or the local, national, or global community. $ervice involves unpaid voluntary activities within or outside the college setting. /xamples of service include serving:chairing on college of nursing or other committees, mentoring new faculty, serving on a board or advisory committee. $cholarship includes conducting research, obtaining grants, presentations of scholarly wor , consultations, and published material. +he 3unior faculty and students would be motivated to follow them and thereby quality of education is ensured. Conclusion +he nursing faculty needs to wor towards being resourceful and competent in the three roles to become effective educators. +heir areas of wor are teaching, service and scholarship. Interest and enthusiasm in clinical learning, having clinical s ills updated , adapting well to the changing environment, acquiring and practicing soft s ills and being fully committed to the profession are necessary for efficient nursing faculty. +his will definitely ensure a generation of nurses who are competent and committed to patient care.

#eferences 1. + ;ileep Bumar<!A1A= +he "ursing Cournal of India 2D,. El "o. 1 7etrieved Canuary !A10, from http@::www.tnaionline.org:3an-1A:1.htm

! "," +hin +an on +ransforming Elinical "ursing /ducation !AA9 Indianapolis, Indiana 7etrieved Canuary A!, !A10 from www.nln.org:facultyprograms:pdf:thin Ftan .pdf 0 'osition $tatement@ +he voice for "ursing /ducation Approved by the "," #oard of Governors !AA! 7etrieved ;ecember !1, !A1! from

http@::www.nln.org:aboutnln:'osition$tatements:prepofnursedA!.htm 1 "ational Eouncil of $tate #oards of "ursing <!AA9= "ursing *aculty Qualifications 7etrieved ;ecember !8, !A1! from

http@::www.ncsbn.org:regulation:nursingpracticeFnursingFpracticeFmodelFactFandFr ules.asppatricia.bennerHucsf.edu 5 AAE". <!AA9a=. 7evision of the essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. 7etrieved Canuary 1, !A10 from

http@::www.aacn.nche.edu: /ducation: pdf:#/draft.pdf. 6 AAE". <!AA9b=. +he preferred vision of the professoriate in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs. 7etrieved Canuary1, !A10, from

http@::www.aacn.nche.edu: 'ublications: pdf:'referred2ision.pdf. 8 Inter professional /ducation Eollaborative /xpert 'anel. <!A11=. Eore competencies for inter professional collaborative practice@ 7eport of an expert panel. )ashington, ;.E.@. 7etrieved ;ecember !8, !A1! from http@::www.aacn.nche.edu: educationresources:ipecreport.pdf 9 (ealth 'rofessions "etwor s "ursing I &idwifery (uman 7esources for (ealth

*ramewor for Action on Inter professional /ducation I Eollaborative 'ractice 7etrieved ;ecember A!,!A1! from http@::whqlibdoc.who.int:hq: !A1A:

)(DF(7(F('"F1A.0Feng.pdf ? )iseman 7.*. <1??1= 7ole model behaviors in the clinical setting. Cournal of "ursing /ducation 00,1A5-11A 7etrieved ;ecember !8, !A1! from Google #oo s 1A (unt ;.;. <!A10=, +he "ew "urse /ducator &astering Academe $pringer 'ublishing Eompany "ew Jor pp0-11 7etrieved Canuary 10, !A10from

http@::www.springerpub.com: samples:?89A9!61A6111Fchapter.pdf