Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Bridging The Gap: Strategies To Enrich The Clinical Experience Of Undergraduate Nursing Students To Improve Clinical Judgment Skills, Gabrielle Hope

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: The lack of competent clinical judgement among new graduate nurses contributes to poor patient outcomes, negatively impacting patient satisfaction scores, and subsequently raising the cost of healthcare for consumers. This project explores how reflective journaling and cooperative learning activities contribute to the development of critical thinking of nursing students during their Nursing Fundamentals clinical practicum.

Methods: Seventeen students enrolled in a private university nursing program were selected as the sample. The students were introduced to the recommended learning strategies and invited to anonymously participate in a pre-survey and post-survey. The surveys were identical in content and consisted …

Using Unfolding Case Studies To Develop Critical Thinking In First-Semester Nursing Students, Carol Cook

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

There is a crisis in competency among new nurses in the United States. Prelicensure nursing education prepares them to pass the NCLEX-RN, but it does not provide the necessary foundation for sound clinical decision-making. Mistakes in the clinical setting can lead to failure to rescue, resulting in the third leading cause of death: medical error. A radical change is needed to prepare nurses with the clinical judgment skills necessary for patient care. Educators must be mindful of the academic-practice gap and adopt evidence-based improvements, including active learning with unfolding case studies. This quality improvement project involved a four-part unfolding case …

The Impact Of Short Papers On Clinical Decision Making Skills Of Nursing Students, Tara R. Hayes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Clinical decision making and critical thinking are fundamental skills to ensuring the success of undergraduate nursing students. Nursing faculty, and specifically clinical nursing faculty, are responsible for encouraging the development of these types of skills as students work in direct patient care. Traditional methods of clinical evaluation include lengthy case studies, concept mapping, and discussion board participation. While these methods have been in effect for some time, clinical short paper assignments are a fresh, innovative way to challenge students as they refine their critical thinking and clinical decision making abilities. No statistically significant difference was found between the perceived level …

Building The Foundation: Utilizing Concept Maps To Enhance Critical Thinking In First Semester Nursing Students, Lisa S. Smith

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Critical thinking and clinical decision making are essential components of the knowledge and skills necessary for all nurses in order to make complex decisions that improve patient outcomes, safety, and quality of nursing care. Promoting student competence in critical thinking skills is imperative for nurse educators. Concept mapping is an active teaching strategy that can assist nurse educators in preparing nursing students to think critically in today’s complex health care environment. The purpose of this project was to implement concept maps as an additional instructional activity with first semester Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students to promote confidence in basic critical …

A Flipped Classroom In Nursing: The Effects Of Peer-Led Simulation On Cognitive Learning And Critical Thinking, Shannon A. Matthews

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This aim of this project was to implement a flipped classroom model of instruction using a peer-led in-class simulation in a nursing course. The student-centered learning environment fosters self-paced class preparation and provides interactive application of concepts in the classroom to improve critical thinking and cognitive learning in first level nursing students. The faculty introduced new content by using video lectures and online material assigned as homework with a peer-led simulation used during class to apply the concepts in a hands-on, interactive, learning experience. The effect the flipped classroom using a peer-led simulation had on cognitive learning, critical thinking, and …

The Effect Of A Simulation Experience On Student Perception Of Self Confidence, Ginny N. Little

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The aim is to determine if participation in a high-fidelity simulation increases student levels of self-confidence. Thirty-eight first year associate degree nursing students enrolled in a medical-surgical course in a southeastern community college participated in a diabetes simulation as part of their course. Students then voluntarily completed a survey indicating self-confidence following the simulation. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the overall mean of student responses to each question on the National League for Nursing (NLN) Student Satisfaction and Self Confidence in Learning Tool. Students rated the teaching helpful and effective with a mean score of 4.47 (sd = .951). …

Transition From Student To Nurse: The Orientation Process, Jessica Ivey

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The transition from a student nurse to a registered nurse poses a difficult transition for some. Benner's model, Novice to Expert, details the transition in stages. It is important for hospital educators and administrators to understand Benner's stages and model their orientation programs appropriately. The Revised Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey was used to query new nurses (≤ 2 years experience) and their preceptors. Results indicate that new nurses feel uncomfortable performing certain skills, communicating with doctors, and lack support after their orientation period. The results support a change in the orientation process and preceptor education.