Health care delivery has changed, but has clinical education? A forward thinking concept in clinical education

20^th Global Nursing Education Conference

March 21-23, 2018 | New York, USA

Kathryn Shaffer

Thomas Jefferson University, USA

Keynote: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Nurses� responsibilities are expanding to include a focus on population health, care coordination, and transitions of care. To keep pace with the ever-changing healthcare delivery system, it is important to transform the way future nurses are educated, both in classroom and clinical settings. Nursing faculty at Thomas Jefferson University, College of Nursing in Philadelphia were motivated by the challenge to design a new baccalaureate nursing curriculum aligned with the evidence of national reports and initiatives, and created a new education paradigm to prepare nurses for 21st century practice. Faculty shifted the paradigm from caring for patients to caring for people and transformed from a diseased-based, acute-care-focused curriculum to one promoting a culture of health and multiple new and emerging roles for RNs. This process required a shift in focus from the current BSN prepared generalist to the future professional clinician who is an anticipatory thinker capable of processing information in multiple directions from a variety of starting points along the life and care continuum, able to understand and implement the quality standards of patient safety, care transition, social determinants of health, and cultural considerations. In response, a concept based curriculum with five immersion practicums were created to provide practice opportunities for students to acquire the skill set that can be applied in any care setting. Each immersion is designed for students to spend time in both an acute care setting and areas where people transition along the life and care continuum all in the same semester. This learning environment allows students to understand population health. This new shift in clinical education also focuses on behavioral health which is integrated throughout the entire curriculum. Students learn and practice the skills central to understanding and coping with both behavioral and mental health crisis events as well as chronic management of care.

Biography :

Kathryn Shaffer has her expertise in curriculum design and technology in higher education. Her doctoral work focused on using technology to conduct interprofessional clinical teaching rounds with a colorectal surgical team. She was an integral part of the undergraduate baccalaureate nursing education curriculum redesign and innovative clinical education change. She has presented nationally on this recognized exemplar curriculum for health care delivery in today’s ever changing environment. She is the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA where her focus is on implementing the mission and vision of the College of Nursing, and develops partnerships that advance nursing education and the profession of nursing.