7
Assessment Update for Towson Academic Programs
Program: Nursing
Department (if applicable): Nursing
Department Chair (if applicable): Dr. Jacquelyn Jordan
Program Director or Coordinator (if applicable): Mrs. Sheila Green
Assessment Coordinator: Dr. Christina Barrick
Date this report is completed: September 24, 2007
Please provide information on at least three but no more than SIX learning outcomes. Complete one page for each learning outcome.
Assessment Report for First Key Learning Goal
- What is this learning goal? What knowledge, skill, or attitude do you want your students to be able to demonstrate AFTER they complete your program? If you would like your learning goals to be named a “best practice,” please attach evidence that they are clearly and actively communicated to students and faculty in the program.
OUTCOME: Demonstrate critical thinking by conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information.
- How do you ensure that ALL students in your program have the opportunity to achieve this goal before they complete the program? In what course(s) do they learn this? What assignment(s) or other learning activities highlight this goal?
1. Critical thinking is a fundamental activity in all course work in the major . Courses are sequenced to build upon prior knowledge and experiences taught in the nursing curriculum. Within the curriculum, faculty employs a diversity of teaching methods to stimulate critical thinking and reflection. Examples of activities include: exam questions developed at the level of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, case studies, interactive online modules, discussion boards, journaling, clinical practice experiences, group projects, scholarly written papers, research proposals, and computer simulations.
2. Educational Resources Incorporated (ERI) Total Testing Program is a total testing program to evaluate student knowledge of critical curriculum content. ERI includes secured tests administered in the computer lab or pencil and paper tests proctored by faculty in the classroom. Students have an opportunity to remediate content through online audiotapes and enhancement tests that provide students with feedback including correct answers and rationale at the time of testing.
3. The NCLEX-RN licensure examination is the summative evaluation tool for assessing end of program content mastery. This licensing examination must be successfully passed in order to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Maryland.
- How are you CURRENTLY assessing how well your students have achieved this learning goal? How often are you conducting this assessment (e.g., every semester, every other year)? Please attach examples of your assessment tools (e.g., assignments, grading criteria, scoring guidelines, and surveys). If you would like your assessment methods named a “best practice,” please summarize evidence that assessment methods yield truthful, fair information that can be used with confidence.
Every semester students at the second semester senior level take the standardized RN Assessment Test provided by ERI. This test is designed for students who have completed or nearly completed an RN education program and are preparing for the NCLEX RN licensure exam. It allows educators to assess students’ proficiencies in the application of their knowledge. Students must pass the NCLEX in order to be licensed to practice nursing.
The Terminal Evaluation of the Curriculum and Program for Undergraduate Students is completed by graduating seniors each year and measures students’ perceptions of the program’s effectiveness in meeting the terminal program objectives.
- What have you learned from each assessment activity about how well you are achieving this particular learning outcome? Please summarize the results of your assessment since your last update. If you would like your use of results to be named a “best practice,” please describe the assessment performance levels you consider minimally adequate for students completing the program, and compare your results against those standards.
The Terminal Program Evaluation score for the Terminal Objective related to critical thinking was a 4.19 on a 5.0 scale (December 2006 graduating class) and a 4.0 on a 5.0 scale (May 2007 graduating class) indicating that graduating seniors generally agree that the program is effective in preparing them to think critically and conceptually.
Performance on the RN Assessment Test was analyzed for December 2006 and May 2007 graduating classes. For the December 2006 graduating class, the following areas related to critical thinking were high risk (scores were significantly below the national average):
Ø Assessment
Ø Analysis
Ø Planning
Ø Prioritizing
Ø Inferential Reasoning
Ø Interpretive Reasoning
There were no areas related to critical thinking identified as high risk in the May 2007 graduating class.
- With whom have you shared your assessment results (e.g., program assessment committee, all faculty in the program, students in the program)? If you would like your use of results to be named a “best practice,” please describe how you have shared positive assessment results with appropriate audiences (e.g., current students, prospective employers).
Both negative and positive results are disseminated by the Program Evaluation Committee to all faculty and to the Program Administrator on an annual basis.
- How have you used these assessment findings to help your students? How have you revised your goals, curriculum, teaching strategies, or assessment strategies or otherwise tried to improve student learning?
1. A policy was developed in collaboration with Academic Standards which requires students to earn a composite score at the national average or above on the RN Assessment Test before being certified to take the NCLEX. This policy was implemented for the Spring semester 2005 and is still in effect.
2. Students are required to remediate and retake the test if they do not achieve a passing score on the RN Assessment Test and on the ERI CAP tests which measure performance at different levels throughout the program. To enforce this policy, advisors must have evidence that the student retook the exam with a score at or above the national average before signing a course permit to proceed to the next clinical course.
3. Students are allowed multiple attempts to retake the RN Assessment Test. This has resulted in a 100% pass rate for each graduating class. However, students are not proctored on retakes which raises the possibility that cheating may occur. Therefore, the Program Evaluation Committee recommends that students be proctored for this exam.
4. The Program Evaluation Committee recommended that a standardized test with predictive validity for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam be explored.
5. Faculty has developed in-class assessment tests that reflect the content and format of NCLEX level questions (RN licensing exam) as well as application of knowledge to clinical scenarios.
6. The Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Organization are proposing a revised curriculum that will strengthen areas identified as weak by the both the RN Assessment test, the NCLEX-RN licensing exam, and graduating senior surveys. The new curriculum will address areas such as planning for multiple clients with complex needs. For example, a capstone seminar is being developed for the new curriculum that will assist students to integrate knowledge of prior coursework into caring for families with complex, multi-problem needs.
Program: Nursing
Date this report is completed: September 24, 2007
Assessment Report for Second Key Learning Outcome
- What is this learning goal? What knowledge, skill, or attitude do you want your students to be able to demonstrate AFTER they complete your program? If you would like your learning goals to be named a “best practice,” please attach evidence that they are clearly and actively communicated to students and faculty in the program.
Outcome 2. Demonstrate accountability through practice as a licensed professional within the scope of the Nurse Practice Act.
- How do you ensure that ALL students in your program have the opportunity to achieve this goal before they complete the program? In what course(s) do they learn this? What assignment(s) or other learning activities highlight this goal?
All courses in the curriculum ultimately contribute to this objective. Clinical courses provide actual hands-on application experiences. Theory and skill based courses provide students with the knowledge and skills to act responsibly, ethically, and within the legal scope of practice of the professional registered nurse.
- How are you CURRENTLY assessing how well your students have achieved this learning goal? How often are you conducting this assessment (e.g., every semester, every other year)? Please attach examples of your assessment tools (e.g., assignments, grading criteria, scoring guidelines, and surveys). If you would like your assessment methods named a “best practice,” please summarize evidence that assessment methods yield truthful, fair information that can be used with confidence.
1. Students are individually tested in the skills laboratory as part of the requirement for the Technology and Nursing Skills Course (NURS 345). The student must demonstrate correct performance of each fundamental psychomotor nursing skill. They practice until they master the skill and then perform the skill for the instructor. Evaluation is based on pre-determined criteria.
2. Terminal evaluations by graduating seniors reflect students’ perceptions of how well the program has prepared them to practice.
3. Employer surveys demonstrate graduate performance following graduation from the program.
4. Alumni surveys reflect graduates’ accomplishments and practice settings.
- What have you learned from each assessment activity about how well you are achieving this particular learning outcome? Please summarize the results of your assessment since your last update. If you would like your use of results to be named a “best practice,” please describe the assessment performance levels you consider minimally adequate for students completing the program, and compare your results against those standards.
Employer surveys collected during the 2006-2007 academic year indicate that students are well prepared for professional practice. The overall rating from employer surveys was 3.4 on a 4.0 scale (between agree and strongly agree).
Graduating seniors’ evaluation of how well the program prepares them on this objective was a 4.21 on a 5.0 scale (December 2006 graduating class) and a 4.1 on a 5.0 scale (May 2007 graduating class) indicating that students were generally in agreement that the program adequately prepared them for professional practice. Qualitative comments indicate the need for more adult health theory and clinical practice in the curriculum as well as more opportunities to care for multiple clients with complex needs.
Alumni surveys collected in Spring 2005 and Fall 2005 (most recent to date) revealed that the majority of alumni reported being satisfied with the program and would recommend the nursing program and the University to others. The overall rating for all terminal program objectives was 3.45 on a 5.0 scale (between average and very well prepared). The need for more acute care and critical care was identified. This is consistent with graduating seniors’ evaluation of the program.
- With whom have you shared your assessment results (e.g., program assessment committee, all faculty in the program, students in the program)? If you would like your use of results to be named a “best practice,” please describe how you have shared positive assessment results with appropriate audiences (e.g., current students, prospective employers).
Program Evaluation Committee, Faculty Organization, and Program Administrator.
- How have you used these assessment findings to help your students? How have you revised your goals, curriculum, teaching strategies, or assessment strategies or otherwise tried to improve student learning?
The Faculty Organization and Undergraduate Curriculum Committee have proposed a revised curriculum which will place a greater emphasis on acute care experiences. The curriculum proposes two (2) adult health courses, providing opportunities for students to care for more complex patients.
- Comments including anticipated changes in goals or assessment strategies (optional):
`
Program: Nursing
Date this report is completed: September 24, 2007
Assessment Report for Third Key Learning Outcome (if applicable)
- What is this learning goal? What knowledge, skill, or attitude do you want your students to be able to demonstrate AFTER they complete your program? If you would like your learning goals to be named a “best practice,” please attach evidence that they are clearly and actively communicated to students and faculty in the program.
Utilize research-based knowledge from nursing and the sciences as a basis for the practice of professional nursing.
- How do you ensure that ALL students in your program have the opportunity to achieve this goal before they complete the program? In what course(s) do they learn this? What assignment(s) or other learning activities highlight this goal?
Evidenced based practice is a key component of each course within the nursing curriculum. Each content area is examined in light of current research and best practices. Students also learn the scientific problem solving process as part of the nursing process framework which is integral to each course and is fundamental to the practice of professional nursing. The nursing research course (NURS 431) prepares students to both critique nursing research as well as to develop an independent research proposal. Students have an opportunity to deliver professional poster presentations of their research proposals at the annual Department of Nursing Scholarship event which is held in the spring of each year.
- How are you CURRENTLY assessing how well your students have achieved this learning goal? How often are you conducting this assessment (e.g., every semester, every other year)? Please attach examples of your assessment tools (e.g., assignments, grading criteria, scoring guidelines, and surveys). If you would like your assessment methods named a “best practice,” please summarize evidence that assessment methods yield truthful, fair information that can be used with confidence.
Nursing research knowledge and application to clinical practice are evaluated throughout the curriculum as students integrate scientific, professional, and data based research findings into their clinical practice. Care plans, journals, written papers, conferences, and discussions provide a means for evaluating how the student is applying scientific evidence to his or her professional practice.
The Terminal Evaluation of the Program for Graduating Seniors measures students’ perceptions of how well the program has prepared them to accomplish this objective. Employer surveys reflect the relative importance placed on research utilization by employers of Towson University nursing graduates.
- What have you learned from each assessment activity about how well you are achieving this particular learning outcome? Please summarize the results of your assessment since your last update. If you would like your use of results to be named a “best practice,” please describe the assessment performance levels you consider minimally adequate for students completing the program, and compare your results against those standards.
Students’ research proposals reflect a diversity of research interests and methods and are favorably reviewed in the Department of Nursing Annual Scholarship forum. Graduating seniors’ evaluation of how well the program prepares them on this objective was a 4.42 on a 5.0 scale (December 2006 graduating class) and a 4.3 on a 5.0 scale (May 2007 graduating class). These ratings fall between agree and strongly agree. Employers rate this objective as moderate in importance compared to other terminal program objectives (close to somewhat agree). This may be due to the fact that research is generally not considered equal in importance to other skills for nurses working at the bedside (where most new graduates are employed).