How to Become a Great Nurse Educator
December 23, 2008 by Rn2b
Filed under Becoming a Nurse, Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
Students can easily identify their “best” and “worst” teachers. They have learned to identify the differences between effective and ineffective teaching. To be effective involves knowledge of educational theory and research, a willingness to learn new roles and teaching methods, and the ability to reflect on one’s own performance.
The teacher who enjoys nursing, shows genuine interest in patients and displays confidence in one’s professional abilities is rated high. Students need to know that they can trust the clinical expertise of the teacher and skills are being demonstrated correctly. A great nurse educator who portrays excellent clinical skills and judgment becomes a positive role model for learners.
Many educators with well-developed interpersonal skills find that good relationships with students evolve almost automatically. The relationship is not unlike the one nurses develop with patients, where professional boundaries must be drawn. With experience, you will learn how to balance the professional role with personal concern for students’ welfare.
Respect, honest communication and openness between a great nurse educator and students create a relaxed atmosphere in which they are able to see you as a role model. Teaching subject matter in a stimulating way and inspiring learner interest hinge on one’s teaching style, personality, personal interest in the subject and use of a variety of teaching strategies.
At the beginning of a teaching/learning relationship, expectations should be clearly expressed. Complaints of unfairness may be minimized if student evaluation is based on known criteria and if those criteria are pertinent to the learning objectives.
Case Management Nursing: An Approach to Community Health
December 23, 2008 by Rn2b
Filed under Becoming a Nurse, Clinical Nurse (CNS), General Nurse Information
In addition to considering the needs of populations, the community health nurse is prepared to provide direct care services to subpopulations within a community. These subpopulations may be a clinical focus in which the nurse has gained expertise.
Case management nursing is a nursing approach that merges knowledge from the public health sciences with professional nursing theories to safeguard and improve the health of populations in the community. An example of this is a case manager who follows older adults recovering from stroke and sees the need for community rehabilitation services. A nurse practitioner who gives immunizations to clients with the objective of managing communicable diseases within the community is also one.
The community health nurse cares for the community as a whole and considers the individual or family to be only one member of a group at risk. Competence as a case management nursing professional requires the ability to use interventions that take into account the broad social and political context in which the community problems occur and are resolved.
The educational requirements for entry-level nurses practicing in community health nursing roles are not as clear-cut as those for public health nurses. An advanced degree may not be required. However, nurses with a graduate degree in nursing who practice in community settings are considered community health nurse specialists, regardless of their public health experience.
The expert community health nurse understands the needs of a community through experience with individual families and working through their social and health care issues.
APN: Advanced Practice Nursing
December 23, 2008 by Rn2b
Filed under Becoming a Nurse, General Nurse Information, Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
APN: Advanced Practice Nursing
Why is there a need for advanced practice nurses (APNs)? The last quarter of the 20th century taught that detection, prevention, promotion, early intervention and education are not only cost-effective but also rational. They are ideally suited to deliver this type of health care.
Advanced practice nursing entails masteral or doctorate preparedness of nurses. Critical reflective thinking, self-directed learning and leadership skills are expectations for health-care providers in the 21st century. Therefore, this branch of nursing builds on the foundation of professional nursing practice and responds to the health care needs of the country.
Are APN’s contributions unique, valuable and can be evaluated? Let us take a look at the following examples:
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): In a hospital, the CNS must be able to identify how performance contributes to the patient-focused mission and goals of the organization. Does the CNS’s practice reduce length of stay, improve patient outcomes or enhance the efficiency of staff nurses?
• Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM): The CNM’s ability to better meet patient needs, or to provide services to groups of patients at a lower cost than services provided by physicians, should be measurable.
• Nurse Practitioner (NP): In an outpatient setting, the NP would need to document both the quality and quantity of services provided to patients and the ability to reduce hospitalization rates.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist(CRNA): In evaluating anesthesia services in a chronic low back pain clinic, the CRNA would want to clearly document quality of service and patient outcomes.