WSU Vancouver - Nursing

Washington State University Vancouver

“Enhanced and Expanded”

Nurse Educator Program

Nurse Educators

The demand for well-prepared nurses is nearly unparalleled in this country and will continue to grow. Nursing professionals are essential to a healthy community, state and nation. Yet the lack of nursing faculty is a primary road block in producing new nurses.

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND GOALS

Context for the Study

There are currently fourteen nursing schools in our area on the west side of the mountains between Longview, Washington and Salem, Oregon. With the expansion of our target student population, we are now serving the east side of the state too in the Spokane, Pullman, and TriCities, Washington areas. Employing enough faculty at our regional schools of nursing is critical in order to educate the qualified student population. Nationally there are over 9,000 openings for nursing faculty. It is not an overstatement to say that this is a national crisis and it must be addressed immediately. Our need to act upon this crisis is felt on a daily basis within our own WSU Vancouver nursing unit.

Problem Statement

In order to strengthen capacity to prepare entry-level nurses, our project is aimed to increase the number of new nursing faculty. At the WSU Vancouver nursing unit, we approached the challenge of the faculty nursing shortage with this essential question.

“How can we provide busy, working masters level students access to innovative, yet flexible faculty preparatory education?”

Organizational Structure/Process Developed to Address Problem

We have been fortunate to receive funding from the Northwest Health Foundation twice resulting in two phases of project development and implementation. With both phases the project team have been the core contributors to the planning, creation, and implementation of the project. Most importantly has been the shared belief of the team members in providing equitable access to education opportunities for working nursing students. Through our model of access to distance friendly courses and student support, we can make a difference in lessening the shortage of nursing faculty. Following are the main tasks of both project phases.

Phase I – “Nurse Educator on the Web” nurse educator certification program

Identification and development of four mostly asynchronous master level nurse educator theory courses that focus on teaching and learning with technology.

Development of support systems for students and faculty to manage the steep technology learning curve throughout the delivery of the four courses.

Access to laptop computers with common programs to support consistency in learning modalities.

Nurse working at home

The nurse educator certification program includes the completion of a sequence of four theory courses that focus on teaching and learning with technology with a specialty in distance friendly education pedagogy. Each course is designed to be mostly web based with minimal face-to-face meetings. Practicum experiences are available with some of the theory courses and there is an intensive student teaching practicum available as the fifth course in the certification program. A certificate is awarded upon completion of the designated courses.

A nurse faculty learning at Home on “Blackboard”—our course platform

Current Certification Course Sequence

Fall 2005 - N520 Teaching in a Multicultural Society
Spring 2006 - N519 Teaching in the Information Age
Fall 2006 - N521 Teaching Learning and Evaluation in Nursing
Spring 2007 - N523 Nursing Education: Past, Present, and Future
N556 Teaching Practicum (flexibly scheduled)

The distinction between phase one and phase two of the NWHF funded nurse educator program has been twofold. First, enrollment has been opened to all nurse educator students into the four certification courses rather than limiting these course offerings to cohort members only. We have been able to do that due to an extensive support system for students and faculty. Secondly, six courses in the community masters program have been identified for conversion to be mostly “distance friendly” and to include focus on multicultural and gerontological competencies.

Phase II – “Enhanced and Expanded” nurse educator certification program

Identification and conversion of six mostly asynchronous community masters level courses.

Development of support systems for faculty to convert courses to be mostly distance friendly.

Development and implementation of professional development workshop experiences that facilitate multicultural and gerontological competence through instructional “promising practices”.

Expansion of access for students to state-wide distance friendly community masters courses.

Development of support systems for students taking those courses.

Goals and Objectives of “The Enhanced and Expanded” program

Systematically evaluate the community masters courses to develop “promising practices” especially related to student teaching/mentoring and to ensure course and curricular multicultural transformation (including gerontological content).

Enhance access to WSU College of Nursing masters coursework through conversion of campus-linked, residential course requirements into primarily, asynchronous, web based/distance courses.

Expand current program capacity to prepare increased numbers of nurses to become nurse educators at all levels of academic and service settings (e.g. schools of nursing as well as hospitals).

MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND TIMELINE

Activities	Timeline
Objective 1 – Course Transformation of Community Masters with multicultural, gerontology, and “promising educational practices” themes (N507, N550, N597, N552, N504, N523)
Workshops – multicultural, promising practices, and gerontology	August 2004, May 2005, and August 2005
Course Transformation from workshop learnings Concept mapping of course syllabi Faculty action plans Use of tools from multicultural workshop and Kitano book club readings for course transformation	Fall 2004 – Fall 2005
Objective 2 – Enhance Statewide Access to Community Masters Courses
Technology support for students taking web based courses Create model of support Train-the-trainer	November 2004 – May 2005
Conversion of courses to mostly web based per individual instructor with support from instructional designer as needed.	Fall 2004 – Fall 2005
Objective 3 – Expand Capacity of Nurse Educators
Statewide acceptance of all students into certification courses. Statewide orientation in each January certification course	January 2005 January 2006
Marketing of nurse educator certification program Underrepresented populations, local institutions, current Community Masters students, WSU Vancouver Nurse Educator Certification website	October to November 2004 October to November 2005

Modifications and Adjustments to the Project

There have been four significant modifications to the project as we progress through the transformation process. We have modified, 1) the original identified consultants, 2) the courses to be converted, 3) timeline of the course conversion process, and 4) the former cohort model.

1. Alternative consultants were contracted when either the original consultant was not available or when a consultant was found to be a better match for meeting project goals.

2. At the beginning of our project, we had identified six courses to be converted to be mostly web based. We have had to exchange one course for another due to faculty illness.

3. Another modification has been allowing flexible timelines for converting one particular course. The instructor has gone through several versions of the conversion/transformation process which best matched her planning style. The flexible timeline also facilitated a gradual conversion process that ensured student success.

4. The final change has been to the cohort model that we have been utilizing since January 2001. With the expansion of courses being available to all students, we have revisited the concept of the cohort model. To accommodate all students from a distance, we have aligned curricular concepts with technical tasks and assignments to reflect the use of ICN’s hardware recommendations. This change represents the final move to a sustainable model of expansion to all WSU campuses in Washington.

Setbacks and Opportunities

We really haven’t experienced setbacks as such, but have considered the needed modifications as opportunities to refine our proposed plans. Adjusting timelines and contracting quality consultants/presenters has proven to be beneficial to the meet the desired outcomes of the program goals. Timeline adjustment for course conversion acknowledges the course instructor’s expertise in understanding the teaching and learning of the course content. This timeline flexibility also enables us to collect data throughout several reiterations of the course revisions.

The opportunity to contract with Judy Jacoby, RN, MSN for the August 2005 workshop has facilitated continued dialogue in our multicultural discussions about strategies for developing student understanding of a client’s perspective and point of view through their “story”. The continued dialogue occurs in several modalities. One example has been of the BSN faculty setting multicultural and social justice topics as a regular monthly agenda item in their meetings. This institutionalized strategy was shared at the latest workshop and has now been proposed as a permanent agenda item in the College of Nursing faculty meetings.

Dissemination Activities

Listed below is information on a poster presentation and journal publication. Although the poster presentation and journal publication are based on the first NWHF grant, the continuation of that work and dissemination timing are relevant to this reporting period.

Doutrich, D., Hoeksel, R., & Ludwig, C. The Process of Multicultural Transformation in the Context of Nursing Education. NANAINA Summit X, Eliminating Indian Health Disparities and Preparing for 2010: Building Partnerships in Teaching, Research, and Practice. Polson, MT, September, 2004.

Doutrich, D., Hoeksel, R., Wykoff, L, & Thiele, J. Teaching Teachers to Teach with Technology. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, Jan/Feb 2005.

Doutrich, D., Hoeksel, R., & Thiele, J. Teaching Teachers to Teach with Technology. Western Institute of Nursing Communicating Nursing

Research Conference, Scottsdale, AZ., April, 2003.

Hoeksel, R., Doutrich, D., Wykoff, L,. Utilizing Web-Based Technology to Prepare Nurse Educators, The 4^th Annual NW Nursing Education

Institute, Teaching in the Future: Barriers and Breakthroughs, Portland, OR., June, 2002.

In addition, current status on the project progress is reported at our bi-annual advisory board meetings in the fall and spring each year.

Nurse Advisory Board Meeting - October 7, 2005

Nurse Educator Certification Program Report – “Enhanced and Expanded”

Updates

Since our last report in April 2005…we have

Delivered N523 and N550 as converted course to be mostly asynchronous and to reflect multicultural and gerontological competence to students in Yakima, Walla Walla, TriCities, Spokane and Vancouver.

Converted N507, N504, and N552 during the summer to be mostly asynchronous and to reflect multicultural and gerontological competence.

In-process of converting N597.

The Stats…

Since 2001, we have launched 4 cohorts of students in the nurse educator certification program. (28 students)

Seven students of those cohort members have graduated. Four additional nurse educator certification students are projected to graduate this Fall 2005.

10 of the 28 have completed their nurse educator certification with six more to complete this Fall 2005.

Currently, there are 18 students taking the nurse educator distance friendly course, 13 of which are in the certification cohort.

15 of the current students and all 7 of our graduates are teaching at the following institutions. Clark Community College, Linfield School of Nursing, OHSU, Lower Columbia College, SWWMC, Mt. Hood Community College, University of Portland, Concordia, Heritage College, Columbia Basin Community College, WSU ICN, WSU TriCities, and WSU Vancouver.

Assessment of Progress toward Project Implementation

We utilize a variety of assessment instruments with students, faculty, and community supervisors at strategic points throughout the project, as well as, collect curricular products from both faculty and students for thematic analysis of program effectiveness. Following is the assessment matrix for the three program goals.

Assessment Matrix

Objective 1: Systematically evaluate the courses to develop “promising practices” especially related to student teaching/mentoring and to ensure course and curricular multicultural transformation (including gerontological content).
Intervention	Timeline	Evaluation/Performance Indicators
Student focus groups	Annually	· Data generation from focus groups · Examples of student research related to distance technologies
Thematic analysis of student data	At end of grant funding period	Dissemination of thematic analysis
Facilitated multicultural workshop for course and curricular transformation	August 2004 – February 2006	· Exit survey and development of transformation plan · Monthly CBPF meetings · Kitano book club discussions · Multicultural competence survey
Concept map current nurse educator courses and evaluate curriculum	by the end of August 2005	Development of concept maps at August workshop
Strategies - “promising practices” for infusing gero and diversity content	August 2005	· Documentation of strategies; Examples from student electronic portfolios · Data generation · Transcription and thematic analysis
Gerontology consultants to increase content	August 2005	Workshop evaluation through exit questionnaire
Facilitated faculty discussion groups during workshop	August 2005	Generation of promising practices and strategies through the exit questionnaire

Objective 2: Enhance access to WSU College of Nursing masters coursework through conversion of campus-linked, residential course requirements into primarily, asynchronous, web based/distance courses.
Intervention	Timeline	Evaluation/Performance Indicators
Train-the-trainer sessions for tech support	At initiation of grant offerings each site	Course evaluation survey with SurveyMonkey
Promising practices in distance education guidelines	May 2005	Exit survey
One-on-one instructional designer working with faculty developing courses	Individualized during development and implementation of the course – most revisions will occur in summer of 2005	· Faculty formative-summative evaluation of course through a reflective journal OR · Faculty focus group for assessment outcomes and transformative process
Transformation of courses into primarily asynchronous distance formats	N507, N550, N504, N523, N552, and N554 transformed by end of Fall semester 2005	· Transformed syllabi with asynchronous learning activities and assignments for listed courses · Standardized College of Nursing web based course evaluation · Student exit questionnaire · Supervisor questionnaire to determine influence on their programs

Objective 3: Expand current program capacity to prepare increased numbers of nurses to become nurse educators at all levels of academic and service settings (e.g. schools of nursing as well as hospitals).
Intervention	Timeline	Evaluation/Performance Indicators
Increase the number of students participating through expanding geographic areas	Spring, 2005	· # of students participating each semester and location · # of students completing certification · attrition rates · demographics of students
Increase the orientation to occur in all geographic areas at the beginning of each certification course	Spring, 2005	Description, evaluation of orientation, evaluation of community-building activities
Market especially with Hispanic and underrepresented populations	Throughout project	Number of underrepresented students entering and completing
Offer loaner lap-top computers to students who need them	Assess for need during application process – Fall of each academic year.	# of students requesting
Market through CCAB and local deans and directors	During CCAB meetings, twice yearly	# of referrals from CCAB members
Invite current students to participate	Each semester during community application process	# of students coming from community masters
Market through web site links	Fall 2005 and Fall 2006	Document number of “hits” and marketing effectiveness
Insure State Board of Nursing is informed about the program both in WA and OR	Fall 2005 and Fall 2006	Document referrals
Invite participation from students engaged in OHSU’s education program especially for two courses, “Teaching Teachers to Teach with Technology” and “Teaching in a Multicultural Society.”	Each semester these courses are offered, OHSU will be informed and nurse educator students encouraged to attend	# of OHSU students attending, evaluation of courses and fit with OHSU program

Current Status of the Project

The assessment activities timeline represents the tasks required to achieve the program goals as outlined above. We continue to achieve the activities as described within the defined timeframes. A contributing factor to tracking and completing program activities has been the commitment of grant personnel to attend monthly planning meetings. These meetings are designed for discussion and decision making. Separate meetings are held for data analysis on a systematic basis and upon completing major events in the program, such as, the completion of workshops and orientations. Lastly, bi-monthly status reports provide manageable review of program tasks and budget tracking. Rather than allowing extensive periods of time to pass without reviewing what we have done and where we are going, we have an efficient means of tracking our progress.

Replication and Sustainability Efforts

Replication and sustainability lies mainly within our course conversions and curriculum transformation. Seven of the twelve core community masters courses are now mostly web based. Within these courses the curriculum is designed to include either face-to-face meetings or students are provided contact information to specialized support personnel. These support personnel are part of the current infrastructure that ensures sustainability of the mostly web based courses. The face-to-face meetings may serve several purposes, such as, building a community of learners or direct instruction of technical tasks. Both of these strategies are generally institutionalized within the online courses. The commitment from the College of Nursing to support the continuation of web based course offerings is a strong indicator of the program continuation.

MOVING FORWARD

Key Factors of Success

There are several key factors to program success. Support of the various University units has ensured an infrastructure of commitment to student support, distance access to courses, and curriculum transformation. Our partnership with other nursing institutions provides students with teaching opportunities and employment which addresses the nursing faculty shortage. Finally through the innovative community masters curriculum, our graduates are prepared to be leaders in nursing education. They are making a difference through their work!

Lessons We Learned

We don’t always know what influence our work has on individuals or our institution. Most times it feels that we are in the midst of a process that is ever changing. Months later, we will hear a story from one of our students or faculty that have participated in our program and discover powerful transformation. Often the transformation is described as a personal and individual experience. Upon discovery of the deeper story, we realize exponential possibilities of influence from the one individual to many lives that they touch.

Testimonials of Transformation

Katherine Conrad, RN, MN, CNS

WSU Vancouver Nursing Alumna

“The WSU Vancouver Nurse Educator Program provided me with the technology tools to create the first fully online nursing course at Mount Hood Community College. There are 38 students in the online pharmacology class. I am using videos, animations, automated quizzes, online presentations, and numerous graphics.

I have used knowledge acquired from this WSU Vancouver Nurse Educator program to help nursing faculty at my college become more confident with their use of technology in the classroom. All faculty are now using thumb drives, enhancing classes with online course notes, posting syllabi on the web, and some have started to test online.”

Concept Map

Jan Lohan, BSN, MSN, PhD

Assistant Professor

“When we had the faculty retreat in August and then the workshop with Judy Jacoby, the Vancouver people said something rather interesting. They said that every time they have a faculty meeting, social justice and cultural competence are always on the agenda. I got to thinking about that…It occurred to me that there are a lot of things I can be doing to integrate more cultural and social content into my course. And so this semester, N318 - Growth and Development, looks a lot more culturally determined than it has before. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t talk about culture before; it just seems to me that it is because my consciousness is more attuned this semester. I’m teaching it a little bit differently…I’m finding that it didn’t take a whole lot more work to transform my course than it did before. I think my students are critically thinking more. It seems to me that really having my consciousness raised about social justice and culture has changed some of the way I teach.”

WSU Vancouver College of Nursing

No: #1 Strategic Goal: “Continue a socially just curricular and climate review leading to multicultural transformation and embracing of diversity.”

A consequence of the “Expanded and Enhanced” program has been the degree to which the entire WSU Vancouver College of Nursing faculty has embraced multicultural transformation and social justice as a group. Evidence of this culture change has been to make our number one strategic goal a focus on multicultural transformation and diversity. Several objectives lend weight to this goal which includes promoting a climate of inclusiveness in all unit activities through faculty and staff members writing and discussing diversity in the annual reviews. The institutionalization of multicultural change and social justice has transformed these issues from being “add-on peripherals” to being fundamental and at the center of our faculty and program culture.

Action Plan

Faculty Action Plan

Lynn Stapleton

Nurse Educator/Community Master student

“I must tell you that I feel daily challenged to enter into teaching with new eyes and equipped with new information to help my students succeed. Reading [Parker] Palmer's book and the slides on Understanding By Design, I have moved into the area of seeking teaching as a profession versus doing it for the interim while I get my masters. The new realization that we are able to transform education is a thrilling and daunting task. I appreciate your insight and look forward to other challenges. I am excited to feel that I belong in education and can move my life in that direction.”

WSU Vancouver Alumni are Making a Difference

“The WSU Vancouver nurse educator program has made a great difference by increasing the number of available nurses who are prepared as educators in this community…with fundamental knowledge about curriculum development as well as advanced skills using the latest technology. I have never seen such enthusiastic faculty for teaching than the ones who have gone through or are going through your nurse educator program.”

~ Shelly Quint, Director of Clark College Nursing Program

“The WSU Vancouver nurse educator program has allowed us to expand our program.”

~ Helen Kuebel, Director of Lower Columbia College Nursing Program

“Your program has energized our program. Two of your master’s students work with us and have added new ideas and excitement to our curriculum building.”

~ Esther King, Professor, Clark College Nursing Program

CONTACT INFORMATION - Back to Top

Primary Investigator

Renee Hoeksel, PhD, RN, CCRN

hoeksel@vancouver.wsu.edu

360-546-9621

Primary Investigator

Dawn Doutrich, RN, CNS, PhD

doutrich@vancouver.wsu.edu

360-546-9464

Investigator

Leslie Wykoff, MLS