Core Competency 4: Understanding the University ContexT
Description of Competency
Core Competency 4 involves understanding the university context. The university context provides the basis for which nursing education occurs. Therefore, it is important to understand the various factors that are at play in the larger university which influence Colleges (and Schools) of Nursing.
Provide an artifact and artifact rationale
To develop this competency, I watched a webinar entitled “Strategic planning and making strategic choices for nursing programs.” In addition, the nursing specific course (NUR 861) discussed the university context in relationship to the nursing faculty role.
Strategic Planning and Making Strategic Choices for Nursing Programs
Aired on April 29, 2015
Strategic planning is an essential component in higher education and can be especially difficult for Schools of Nursing. How do academic leaders identify, plan, and implement new endeavors that can leverage current resources, generate new revenue streams, stay ahead of the curve, keep faculty and staff engaged, and possibly eliminate or refocus current programs, all the while producing successful, loyal, and satisfied students who become supportive alumni? This Webinar offers insights on strategic planning and an opportunity to assess your own program’s strategic choices.
http://www.aacnnursing.org/Professional-Development/Webinar-Info/sessionaltcd/WFR15_04_07
Textbook reading and discussion
In NUR 861, we participated in readings and discussions regarding the faculty role.
Fisher, M.L. (2016). Teaching in nursing: The faculty role. In D.M. Billings & J.A. Halstead (eds.), Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (p. 1-14). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Interpret/reflect on learning
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
Higher education is changing. Nursing is well poised to be a thought leader during the changes based on the historical experience of the change of healthcare. Budget cuts at the university level will affect nursing. In healthcare, we learned that no margin meant no mission. Therefore, there is a need to approach higher education with system thinking. For instance, nursing programs can continue to cut costs around the edges, or we can strategically evaluate our programs. By strategically evaluating our programs, and asking the hard questions, we can create room for growth.
An important concept is to be clear in what we are trying to accomplish within our nursing programs. This can help guide the decisions that we make. One example is that clinical education has not changed much within the past several years. Simulation brings one opportunity to re-education. A systems approach includes asking questions such as: are our clinicals really how we want to educate?
By re-thinking traditional education and promoting risk-taking, nursing can serve as an example for higher education. Several questions that should be considered:
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
This provided an introduction to some of the changes occurring in higher education. The speaker recommended reading from University Business Magazine and Inside Higher Ed. I need to do some further investigation to understand the pressures that higher education is facing as well as some of the challenges unique to nursing (i.e., clinical placement sites, community engagement)
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
This core competency focused on a higher level than the previous competencies and therefore there are not as many direct relationships to the classroom setting. I will say that I have learned the importance of being innovative in teaching methods and trying new things within the classroom.
Core Competency 4 involves understanding the university context. The university context provides the basis for which nursing education occurs. Therefore, it is important to understand the various factors that are at play in the larger university which influence Colleges (and Schools) of Nursing.
Provide an artifact and artifact rationale
To develop this competency, I watched a webinar entitled “Strategic planning and making strategic choices for nursing programs.” In addition, the nursing specific course (NUR 861) discussed the university context in relationship to the nursing faculty role.
Strategic Planning and Making Strategic Choices for Nursing Programs
Aired on April 29, 2015
Strategic planning is an essential component in higher education and can be especially difficult for Schools of Nursing. How do academic leaders identify, plan, and implement new endeavors that can leverage current resources, generate new revenue streams, stay ahead of the curve, keep faculty and staff engaged, and possibly eliminate or refocus current programs, all the while producing successful, loyal, and satisfied students who become supportive alumni? This Webinar offers insights on strategic planning and an opportunity to assess your own program’s strategic choices.
http://www.aacnnursing.org/Professional-Development/Webinar-Info/sessionaltcd/WFR15_04_07
Textbook reading and discussion
In NUR 861, we participated in readings and discussions regarding the faculty role.
Fisher, M.L. (2016). Teaching in nursing: The faculty role. In D.M. Billings & J.A. Halstead (eds.), Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (p. 1-14). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Interpret/reflect on learning
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
Higher education is changing. Nursing is well poised to be a thought leader during the changes based on the historical experience of the change of healthcare. Budget cuts at the university level will affect nursing. In healthcare, we learned that no margin meant no mission. Therefore, there is a need to approach higher education with system thinking. For instance, nursing programs can continue to cut costs around the edges, or we can strategically evaluate our programs. By strategically evaluating our programs, and asking the hard questions, we can create room for growth.
An important concept is to be clear in what we are trying to accomplish within our nursing programs. This can help guide the decisions that we make. One example is that clinical education has not changed much within the past several years. Simulation brings one opportunity to re-education. A systems approach includes asking questions such as: are our clinicals really how we want to educate?
By re-thinking traditional education and promoting risk-taking, nursing can serve as an example for higher education. Several questions that should be considered:
- Revenue streams: what do people really need? How are we effecting the community in terms of wellness?
- How are we balancing efficiency and investing in the future?
- Where should we be investing?
- How do international students fit into this?
- Who are our students? Are we prepared to welcome AND support them?
- How can we teach differently, differential advantage?
- If we want to be wildly successful in 5 years, what do you need to get there?
- Where are we innovating?
- Do we have a clarity of goal?
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
This provided an introduction to some of the changes occurring in higher education. The speaker recommended reading from University Business Magazine and Inside Higher Ed. I need to do some further investigation to understand the pressures that higher education is facing as well as some of the challenges unique to nursing (i.e., clinical placement sites, community engagement)
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
This core competency focused on a higher level than the previous competencies and therefore there are not as many direct relationships to the classroom setting. I will say that I have learned the importance of being innovative in teaching methods and trying new things within the classroom.