Educational Pathways in Nursing

This set of flashcards encompasses key concepts and terminology related to educational pathways in nursing, covering various nursing programs, roles, responsibilities, and educational advancements.

Entry into Practice

Multiple entry point to professional nursing practice is one of nursing’s strengths.

Pew Commission (1995)

Identified that nurses must distinguish between the practice responsibilities of graduates from different educational environments.

Pew Report Recommendations

1. Expanding the scientific basis of the programs 2. Promoting interdisciplinary education 3. Developing cultural sensitivity 4. Establishing new alliances with managed care companies and government 5. Increasing computer technology use.

Challenges to Nursing Education

1. Decreasing employment of nurses in acute care settings. 2. Need for self-reliance and flexibility. 3. Well-developed decision-making skills. 4. High-quality client education delivery under cost constraints.

Team Members in Nursing

Includes Nursing Assistant, Practical Nurse, Hospital-based Diploma Nurse, 2-year Associate Degree Nurse, Baccalaureate Nurse.

Nursing Assistant Responsibilities

Basic nursing skills such as changing linens, taking vital signs, bathing patients, and maintaining a safe environment.

Practical Nursing

Historical term for women who cared for others without formal education, often called themselves practical nurses.

Early Practical Nursing Schools

Schools like Ballard School (1892), Thompson Practical Nursing School (1907), and Household Nursing School (1918) pioneered practical nursing education.

LPN Education Focus

Concentrates on basic nursing skills and direct client care, typically trained in community colleges or vocational programs.

LPN Job Responsibilities

Care for patients under supervision, administer basic bedside care, and supervise nursing assistants.

Goldmark Report (1923)

Recommended that nursing education occur in university settings to achieve parity with other disciplines.

Institute of Research & Science in Nursing Education Report

Resulted in the establishment of practical nursing under Title III of the Health Amendment Act of 1955. This led to a growth in practical nursing schools in the U.S.

Diploma Programs in Nursing

Typically 3 years long, focusing on basic skills suited for hospital settings, contributing 6% of nurse graduates.

Characteristics of Diploma Schools

No academic degree, minimal classroom study, and emphasized on-the-job learning.

Associate Degree Programs

2-year nursing programs offered through community colleges, contributing 60% of nursing graduates.

Baccalaureate Education Evolution

Identified the need for stratification in nursing education programs during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Graduate Competencies Needed

Teaching health promotion, effective supervision, organizing routine tasks, medication administration.

Higher Education Aims

Baccalaureate = generalist, Master's = specialist, Doctorate = researcher and leader.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

A 4-year program emphasizing preparation for non-hospital practice and broader scientific content.

Master’s Degree Programs

Advanced degrees for RNs, focusing on specialized study areas and requiring 36 to 48 college credits.

Doctoral Programs

Include PhD, EdD, DNP, which prepare individuals for advanced practice and research in nursing.

Advanced Practice Nursing

Includes nurse practitioners and certified registered nurse anesthetists with prescriptive authority.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Focuses on specific patient populations and can work in various medical environments.

Accreditation of Nursing Programs

Process that recognizes educational programs meeting predetermined qualifications and standards.

NCLEX

National Council Licensure Examination, a legal requirement for nursing practice to ensure competency.

Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)

Method where the computer estimates candidate’s ability and adjusts question difficulty accordingly.

NCLEX Content Distribution

Breakdown of content areas like Management of Care and Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies, Basic Care and Comfort, Psychosocial Integrity, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Safety and Infection Control, Reduction of Risk Potential, and Physiological Adaptation.

Next Generation NCLEX Test Design

Includes variable-length test items with adaptive questioning techniques to assess nursing competency.

Clinical Judgment

The observed outcome of critical thinking and decision-making in nursing.

Six Steps to Clinical Judgment

Recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, evaluate outcomes.

Levels of Cognitive Ability

Includes Evaluation, Synthesis, Analysis, Application, Comprehension, and Knowledge.

Knowledge and Comprehension

Involves recalling facts and understanding their significance in clinical situations.

Application and Analysis

Requires interpreting and applying foundational information in patient care scenarios.

Synthesis, Judgment, Evaluation

Involves processing multiple facts to make informed judgments about patient care.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

A framework for categorizing educational goals into cognitive levels of learning such as Creating, Evaluating, Analysing, Applying, Understanding, and Remembering.

Clinical Judgment Skills

Higher-order thinking used to evaluate care effectiveness and prioritize nursing actions.

Integrated Concepts and Processes

Includes Nursing process, Concepts of caring, Therapeutic communication, Cultural awareness, Documentation, Self-care, Teaching and learning.

Question Formats

Various question types including illustrations, charts, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, identification and prioritization.

Next Generation NCLEX Components

Includes extended multiple response, cloze (drop down), enhanced hot spot (highlighting), matrix/grid, extended drag and drop, and clinical judgment scenarios.

Cloze Questions

Complete sentences by selecting answer options, focusing on nursing knowledge and critical thinking.