Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dr. Ellen Clymer
Keywords
advanced clinical practice, clinical course, clinical learning, clinical nurse specialist, clinical syllabus, curriculum development, Dominican University, formative committee, graduate nursing education, integrative therapies, Master of Science in Nursing, nursing curriculum, nursing education, program development, student learning, summative committee, syllabus development
Abstract
A new Master of Science in Nursing at Dominican University, a program preparing Registered Nurses to perform the duties of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) was implemented in the fall semester, 2000. A unique feature of this program was the focus on the practice of integrative therapies, utilizing advanced clinical experiences. The purpose of this study was to develop the clinical course syllabus for the first clinical course in the program. The research question for the project was: What is the appropriate content for a clinical course syllabus for a beginning clinical course in a Master of Science in Nursing Program at Dominican University?
Ten procedures were performed to complete the project. They were: (a) review of literature; (b) establishment of criteria for writing syllabus; (c) formation of formative committee to assist in validation of criteria; (c) formation of summative committee to assist in validation of criteria; (d) formative committee provided input into criteria; (e) summative committee reviewed and approved final criteria; (f) draft syllabus was written; (g) draft syllabus was validated by formative committee; (h) draft syllabus was validated by summative committee; and (i) final draft presented to core MSN faculty final approval. The process was iterative, producing a final draft of the product.
Three conclusions were drawn from the process. First, a syllabus for a beginning clinical course in a new MSN program can be written to promote and enhance student clinical learning. Second, appropriated content of the syllabus may be created for the syllabus. Third, the syllabus for the course is only appropriate for the graduate nursing students in Dominican University's MSN program.
Three recommendations were made: (a) formal evaluation of the syllabus for effectiveness in student learning is indicated; (b) formal evaluation of the clinical course itself; and, (c) establish an evaluation process to determine effectiveness of clinical learning.
Implications of the project revolve around improving faculty practice as experience enlightens, evaluating both the syllabus itself and the clinical course for which the syllabus was written.
Recommendations are: a.) use the syllabus for the clinical course, b.) develop and implement a formal evaluation process for the clinical learning of students, and c.) develop and implement a formal evaluation process for the clinical course for which the syllabus was written.