the future of nursing education
The future of nursing education, as I see it, is an exciting adventure. To address the complexity of the challenges that are consistent with both the professional nursing shortage and the nursing faculty shortage, innovative and perhaps even risky changes to nursing education programs across the country must occur. On top of factors such as an aging population, the needs of society are changing and so must nursing practice which ripples down to changes in nursing education for which educators must be prepared to embrace. See the 2011 AACN Annual Report – Shaping the Future of Nursing Education for interesting statistics and information.
First and foremost, one must always remember that nurses are the largest group of health care workers who spend the most direct time with patients, leading to the formation of relationships with their patients and families that allow nurses to play such pivotal roles in patient care and therefore are in the position to significantly affect the health care outcomes of all patients (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010). While nurses may have always honored this role, the future of nursing education will be drastically different than the past to accommodate more comprehensive and professional content areas in addition to the way in which education is delivered. From classroom teaching strategies and evaluation methods to variations in educational formats such as distance learning, students will be the products of programs that are reflective of a shift in focus that is now centered on the students themselves! More emphasis and value will be placed on academic-practice partnerships to enhance student learning. What better way to teach competencies such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and advocacy (Institute of Medicine, 2010) than by utilizing active learning techniques to empower students and cultivate a sense of these professional qualities throughout the development of their undergraduate career. In the past, these concepts were real expectations of graduate nurses of various nursing institutions yet only minimally discussed in nursing academic programs but now, with a radical change in nursing education, students will have a more thorough understanding of these important topics from the start which will propel them into more successful, meaningful careers once in the professional setting. Through the creative minds and collaborative efforts of educators, this new future of nursing education will be possible.
Considering all the learning I have endeavored thus far and through exploration of the importance and reward of hosting an educational environment in which deep learning is fostered, students are engaged, and compassion is at the core of all efforts, I have realized that with some practice and further guidance, I am ecstatic to play a role in the diverse and ever-changing educational needs of the future generation of nurses. Related to the fact that faculty must accept the idea that what is true today may not be true tomorrow (Emerson & Records, 2008), in our students will be instilled values that are not only pertinent to the role of a registered nurse, but also that of a valuable contributor to society based on the capacity they will have to stimulate further change and evolvement of nursing as a profession and eventually, nursing education as a consequence.
References
Benner, P., Stuphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. San Francisco: Jossey Bass
Emerson, R. J. & Records, K. (2008). Today’s challenge, tomorrow’s excellence: The practice of evidence-based education.Journal of Nursing Education, 47(8), 359-370.
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: Focus on education. http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health/Report-Brief-Education.aspx
First and foremost, one must always remember that nurses are the largest group of health care workers who spend the most direct time with patients, leading to the formation of relationships with their patients and families that allow nurses to play such pivotal roles in patient care and therefore are in the position to significantly affect the health care outcomes of all patients (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010). While nurses may have always honored this role, the future of nursing education will be drastically different than the past to accommodate more comprehensive and professional content areas in addition to the way in which education is delivered. From classroom teaching strategies and evaluation methods to variations in educational formats such as distance learning, students will be the products of programs that are reflective of a shift in focus that is now centered on the students themselves! More emphasis and value will be placed on academic-practice partnerships to enhance student learning. What better way to teach competencies such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and advocacy (Institute of Medicine, 2010) than by utilizing active learning techniques to empower students and cultivate a sense of these professional qualities throughout the development of their undergraduate career. In the past, these concepts were real expectations of graduate nurses of various nursing institutions yet only minimally discussed in nursing academic programs but now, with a radical change in nursing education, students will have a more thorough understanding of these important topics from the start which will propel them into more successful, meaningful careers once in the professional setting. Through the creative minds and collaborative efforts of educators, this new future of nursing education will be possible.
Considering all the learning I have endeavored thus far and through exploration of the importance and reward of hosting an educational environment in which deep learning is fostered, students are engaged, and compassion is at the core of all efforts, I have realized that with some practice and further guidance, I am ecstatic to play a role in the diverse and ever-changing educational needs of the future generation of nurses. Related to the fact that faculty must accept the idea that what is true today may not be true tomorrow (Emerson & Records, 2008), in our students will be instilled values that are not only pertinent to the role of a registered nurse, but also that of a valuable contributor to society based on the capacity they will have to stimulate further change and evolvement of nursing as a profession and eventually, nursing education as a consequence.
References
Benner, P., Stuphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. San Francisco: Jossey Bass
Emerson, R. J. & Records, K. (2008). Today’s challenge, tomorrow’s excellence: The practice of evidence-based education.Journal of Nursing Education, 47(8), 359-370.
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: Focus on education. http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health/Report-Brief-Education.aspx