Rethinking an ABSN nursing health assessment course to increase competency and clinical judgement without increasing content.
Track Choices
Innovations in Organizational and Educational Development
Abstract
Background: Nursing knowledge is doubling every six years (Fusner et al., 2020). New graduates struggle to apply acquired knowledge in the rapid paced, clinical setting (Kavanagh & Szweda, 2017). Increasing the content-laden curriculum will only exacerbate the information overload. This leaves faculty struggling to balance what is critical to know without overwhelming their students. Numerous studied have reviewed the critical nursing assessment skills finding that out of hundred twenty-six assessment skills taught, only thirty were used on a daily or weekly basis (Douglas, et a, l.2015; Kohtz, et al. 2017; Morrell, et al 2019). Method: A comprehensive literature review was completed. Based on the results, a first semester health assessment course in an accelerated undergraduate nursing program, was redesigned. Lectures and skills labs were adjusted to focus on the thirty most used assessment skills. To foster clinical judgement, application, concept mapping, clinical judgement case studies, and nursing priority setting were added to the health assessment labs. Results: Pre and post student outcomes were completed by clinical faculty at the beginning of the second semester. Student outcomes improved from thirty-three percent not meeting benchmark for completing a full head-to-assessment to all students meeting or exceeding benchmark.
Rethinking an ABSN nursing health assessment course to increase competency and clinical judgement without increasing content.
Zoom Room 3
Background: Nursing knowledge is doubling every six years (Fusner et al., 2020). New graduates struggle to apply acquired knowledge in the rapid paced, clinical setting (Kavanagh & Szweda, 2017). Increasing the content-laden curriculum will only exacerbate the information overload. This leaves faculty struggling to balance what is critical to know without overwhelming their students. Numerous studied have reviewed the critical nursing assessment skills finding that out of hundred twenty-six assessment skills taught, only thirty were used on a daily or weekly basis (Douglas, et a, l.2015; Kohtz, et al. 2017; Morrell, et al 2019). Method: A comprehensive literature review was completed. Based on the results, a first semester health assessment course in an accelerated undergraduate nursing program, was redesigned. Lectures and skills labs were adjusted to focus on the thirty most used assessment skills. To foster clinical judgement, application, concept mapping, clinical judgement case studies, and nursing priority setting were added to the health assessment labs. Results: Pre and post student outcomes were completed by clinical faculty at the beginning of the second semester. Student outcomes improved from thirty-three percent not meeting benchmark for completing a full head-to-assessment to all students meeting or exceeding benchmark.