BRANDON DAVIS RACHAL RN, BSN

2219A MISSOURI AVE | ST. LOUIS, MO | 63104 | (225) 803-9183 |
CURRICULUM VITAE
BRANDON DAVIS RACHAL, RN, BSN

Teaching & Learning Philosophy

Some “learn” how to teach while others may “teach” how to “learn”. My philosophy builds on the reciprocation of both roles and rests in three simple principles:

  1. Know thy audience.
  2. Inspire others to “do” and “learn” what inspires them.
  3. Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.

Principle 1: Know Thy Audience.

My philosophy is based on the principles of the Adult Learner and the praxis of Andragogy. Many will debate “when” an individual becomes an Adult Learner, but my principle holds the same for all: Every learner is unique and every learner will draw most from what is important to them based on their previous or current experiences and motivations to learn. The best model of this is a reciprocal relationship between the teacher and the learner where lines of authority are blurred and both individuals coach one another in the learning process. Knowing thy audience also includes identifying preferred learning methods and inspiration behind individual learning. In addition to the individual, the “audience” is further defined by an understanding of the larger group, and/or discipline.

In Nursing, teaching and learning is fundamentally based on a “knowing of thy discipline”. From an “audience” perspective, this refers to an understanding of the context and dynamic needs of our population of professional learners. These professional learners include both traditional and non-traditional students which can be made up of high school graduates, later career GED completion students, distance and on-line learners, traditional face to face learners, college major transfers, previously degreed professionals, and even international English as a second language students. All of these “audience members” are unique in that they each present with various life experiences and motivations towards learning, however they all desire contextual inspiration of the same discipline.

Principle 2: Inspire others to “do” and “learn” what inspires them.

“Picture perfect” Adult Learners come with predefined intrinsic motivations and are easily inspired. Opponents of Andragogy debate the level of ownership required to be an Adult Learner, whereas I believe the lack of ownership simply stems from a lack of inspiration. The most effective “teachers” have the ability to coach “learners” towards what inspires them. Facilitating this exchange first requires a safe learning environment where the educator presents themselves as amendable, available, accessible, and accountable to learners.

Example Case

Take the case of Johnny: If Johnny is in a math class by necessity yet hates math, before effective learning takes place, the “teacher” must “get to know” Johnny. This is where the reciprocation of the “teacher” becoming a “learner” takes place. If Johnny has no ownership or intrinsic motivation, the “teacher” must then take responsibility to guide Johnny toward a path of importance. Along this journey however, “knowing” Johnny may require the “teacher” to “learn” new things and amend old ideas. Because of Johnny’s vulnerability in the learning process, a teacher who is available, accessible, and accountable easily facilitates the learning process for Johnny. While Johnny’s importance of math may seem like the end goal, importance by definition does not equal ownership; importance is simply a value or state of significance. Inspiration, however, is a force or an influence that makes Johnny want to do something.

Yes, Johnny is an individual, but the same principle of inspiration can be applied in group settings. Effective nurse educators have the have a responsibility to inspire learners to embrace an understanding and appreciation of the fundamentals of our discipline. These fundamentals include implementing safe and effective health interventions, caring for complex patient populations and communities, engaging in interprofessional learning strategies, practicing ethical and moral reasoning, embracing a progressively transforming health care system, engaging in evidenced based practice and research, and a instilling a passion for lifelong learning. While “knowing” each individual would maximize the learning process, knowing the “audience” in relation to our “discipline” is an efficient method of accomplishing the same goal of inspiration.

Principle 3: Make Things as Simple as Possible, but no Simpler

Learning environments and instructional strategies have evolved into such a complex myriad of opportunities, that the basic methodology of learning can easily get loss. While striving to remain innovative and relevant (or even refusing to do so), we face the challenges of evoking student frustration (they don’t know where to look for something they want), anxiety (they worry the thing they need is no longer available), and distrust (they assume we are hiding something). We must strive to keep learning simple and inspirational, despite the complexities of a continuing transformation of our discipline. On the contrary, over simplification can be a major hindrance to the Adult Learner resulting in a lack of independent ownership, critical inquiry, and overall “inspiration.” We must keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler.

While the historical and even modern principles of learning are fundamental, educational terminology continues to transform and sorting through foundational principles is a challenge even for the most advanced and experienced educator. Pragmatism, idealism, realism, humanism, progressivism, constructivism, and even reflective practice while logistically complex, all have a basis in two simple principles, so strive to keep it simple: Know thy audience and inspire others to “do” and “learn” what inspires them.

Professional Education
Dates / Institution / Degree
2003-2006 / Louisiana State University / Undergraduate, Pre-Nursing
2006-2009 / Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center
School of Nursing / Bachelor of Science in Nursing
2011 – May 2014 / University of Missouri Saint LouisMaster of Nursing Education
Capstone Project: Mastering NLN Educator Competencies
Acted as university faculty for Adult Health II in the accelerated BSN curriculum.
Project included restructuring and developing the overall course and objectives including textbook selection and learning outcomes; developing instructional strategies to present course concepts; developing assessment tools based on course outcomes and NCLEX competencies; evaluating and grading student performance and assessment values; engaging in university program evaluation, engaging in public policy related to nursing, and serving as a professional role model to colleagues and pre-nursing professionals.
LICENSURE, CREDENTIALING, OR CERTIFICATION
DATES / CREDENTIAL AND/OR CERTIFYING BODY
2012 – Present / Clinical Instructor / Missouri Hospital Association
2010 – Present / Registered Nurse—Endorsement / Missouri State Board of Nursing
2012 – Mar 2014 / PALS Instructor Certification / American Heart Association
2010 – Present / BLS Certification / American Heart Association
2010 – Present / PALS Certification / American Heart Association
2010 – Present / ENP Certification / Emergency Nurses Association
2010-2011 / Registered Nurse / Louisiana State Board of Nursing
HONORS, SCHOLARSHIP, & SPECIAL RECOGNITION
DATES / AWARD / SCHOLARSHIP / RECOGNITION
2012—Present / Sigma Theta Tau International. Inducted into the International Nursing Honors Society
2009 / Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Academic standing; extracurricular activities and community service.
2009 / Mary Lou Steedley Memorial Community Health Nursing Award. Clinical excellence; professional growth and leadership in community health nursing; concern for humanity; involved in community activities.
2009 / Certificate of Appreciation. Dedicated student leadership on student and faculty partnered committee targeting student satisfaction.
PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
DATES / POSITION OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE / AGENCY / INSTITUTION
2013 – Current / Adjunct Faculty
Adult Health I
The Childbearing Family / University of Missouri Saint Louis
2012 – Current / PALS Instructor / American Heart Association
2010 - Current / PICU NurseSaint Louis Children’s Hospital
Experience in caring for the pediatric population from newborn to young adult. Proficient in various methods of both noninvasive and invasive ventilation. Experience in titration and administration of ionotropic, vasoactive, hyperosmolar and continuous sedation medications. Primary population includes chronically ill, developmentally delayed, and congenital, respiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Active participant in nursing research including national study on therapeutic hypothermia after pediatric cardiac arrest, compassion fatigue in pediatric nursing, therapeutic communication for the intubated patient, sedation in the pediatric population, and biomarkers for hyper coagulability in the pediatric population. Additional roles include outreach trauma educator, interdisciplinary residency program chair, and pediatric high fidelity simulation operator.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL & EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
DATES / POSITION OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE / AGENCY / INSTITUTION
12/2013 / Wound Care Discharge Toolkit / Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
University of Missouri Saint Louis
2008 / Medical Mission Trip
Matamoras, Mexico / Nurses Christian Fellowship
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND PAPERS
DATES / TITLE / PLACE
2/2014 / Gastrointestinal Lecture Series / University of Missouri – St. Louis
10/2013 / Case Coordination & Nursing Education / University of Missouri – St. Louis
6/2013 / HP:2020 Review : Adolescent Health Review / University of Missouri – St. Louis
12/2012 / 50 Shades of Grey—Radiology Interpretation for PICU Nurses / Saint Louis Children’s Hospital
05/2012 / Stress In Nursing—Workforce in Crisis / University of Missouri – St Louis
3/2012 / Public Enemy #2
Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity / University of Missouri – St Louis
11/2011 / “Psychosocial Support for New Critical Care Nurses” A Concept Analysis / University of Missouri – St Louis
04/2011 / “When Blue is Bad”
Identifying Pediatric Respiratory Distress / Richland Memorial Hospital
Olney, IL
10/2009 / Mentoring a “Teens Not Gone Wild” mentality in the community / National Conference on Health & Domestic Violence
New Orleans, LA
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH, & MEMBERSHIPS
DATES / ORGANIZATION / POSITION / SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS
2013—Present / Sigma Theta Tau International / Member
2013—Present / Compassion Fatigue Research Program / Educator
2013—2014 / SLCH Interdisciplinary Residency Orientation / Mentor
2012—Present / National Council of State Boards of Education / NCLEX Examination Item Development Panel
2012—Present / American Association of Critical Care Nurses / Member
2012 – Present / PICU Patient Satisfaction Team / Board Chair
2012—Present / SLCH – Simulation Steering Board / PICU Chair
2012—Present / Children’s Health Advocacy Network / Member
2012—Present / PICU Talent Recruitment Committee / Member
2012—2013 / Augmentative Communication Research Team / Data Collector
2011—Present / SLCH – Bereavement Leadership Team / Steering Committee Member
2011—Present / SLCH – Outreach Education / PICU Educator
2011—2012 / SLCH – Communication and Team Building Committee / Member
2011 – 2012 / SLCH Informal Leaders / PICU Representative
2010—Present / SLCH – PICU Education Committee / Member
MAJOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
DATES / TITLE / LOCATION / CONTACT HOURS
8/2013 / Professional Health Care Resiliency: Learning to Prevent and Manage Compassion Fatigue / 4.0
4/2013 / A Slice of NTI—AACN
Las Vegas, NV / 15.25 CNE
Together. Stronger. Bolder. / 1.00
What's Hot in Sepsis? New Guidelines / 1.00
Advanced ECG Interpretation / 1.00
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Moral Distress or Violence in the Workplace / 1.00
Adam's Fall: The First 365 Days / 1.00
Critical Care Studies You Should Know About / 1.00
New Trends in Street Drug Use / 1.25
Every Nurse is a Leader / 1.25
Teaching Critical Thinking: The Preceptor's Challenge / 1.25
CBC Interpretation / 1.25
Alarm Fatigue-Do You Know Your Limits? / 1.25
Anticoagulation Therapy / 1.00
Respiratory Failure: Identification to Intubation / 1.00
Infections in the ICU: The Weird and the Wicked / 1.00
2/2013 / UMSL College of Nursing African-American Nurses' History Conference—Health Disparities; A Call to Action
1/2013 / Webinar – Does the Concept of Medical Futility Help Clinicians
7/2012 / Redefining Competency Validation
5/2012 / National Teaching Institute—AACN
Orlando, FL / 31.75 CNE
Managing Increased Intracranial Pressure with Confidence / 1.25
Pediatric Brain Death: Updated Guidelines / 1.25
Shock Resuscitation: Where Are We Now? Current Trends and Controversies / 1.25
Thar She Blows: Intra-Abdominal Hypertension (IAH) and Intra-Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (IACS) in PICU Patients / 1.25
When the Lung Fails: ALI/ARDS in Children / 1.25
Bath Salts: Done on the Street but Felt in the Emergency Room and ICU / 1.25
Symptoms and Seizures, Surgery and Survival: The Anatomy of Acute Traumatic Brain Injury / 1.25
Changing a Unit's Culture: Confessions of a Bully / 1.25
Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Secondary Traumatic Stress in Critical Care Nurses: Buzz Words or the Real Deal? / 1.25
Mechanical Ventilation Management for Pediatric Critical Care Practitioners / 1.25
Pressors, Preload Reducers and Pumping Agents: Vasoactive Drip Titration Made Easy / 0.75
Expert Nurses Armed with Real-Time Data: Knock Out Sepsis / 0.75
Patient/Family Centered Care and Beyond in the PICU: Finding the Balance/Boundaries Between Patient, Family and Self / 0.75
Blood, Barf and Broken Bones: Resuscitation of the Multisystem Trauma Patient / 1.25
Bring Home Lessons Learned From the Battlefield / 1.25
Challenging and Unusual Cardiac and Pulmonary Case Studies / 1.25
Inflammatory Response to Trauma: The Oooh-La-La Factor / 1.25
Pressors, Preload Reducers, and Pumping Agents: Vasoactive Drip Titration Made Easy / 0.75
Validating Competency: Its Time to Retire Traditional Annual Skills Day Check-Offs / 1.25
Diagnostic Imaging in Critical Care: Beyond X-Ray Vision / 3.00
2/2012 / MANDT Training
1/2012 / Clinical Faculty Academy / 12.75 CE
1/2011 / TeamSTEPPS—Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety

Master in Nursing Education—Course Descriptions

N6130 Research For Evidence Based Practice (3) / Systematically explored and evaluated current nursing knowledge for scientific and clinical merit to promote evidence-based nursing practice.
Individual focus was to select a researchable problem, review and critique relevant literature, consider ethical and cultural issues, examine methodological procedures associated with scientific investigation, and explore potential barriers to evidence-based practice while critically analyzing differing research paradigms and current issues surrounding research and evidence based practice.
Project Focus: EBP Asthma Intervention
N6106 Policy, Organization And Financing Of Health Care (3) / Overview of health care policy, organization, and financing with emphasis on current health care trends. Collaborated with members of the health care community in the design and implementation of a variety of health care systems with the goal of providing quality, cost-effective care.
Developed a leadership role in managing human, fiscal, and physical health care resources relative to primary health care and public health issues. Emphasis on the relationship between these issues and improving nursing health care delivery and outcomes of client care.
Core concepts included basic policy development and policy analysis, health care finance systems, government structure related to health care, primary health care, core public health functions, and patient safety and quality.
Project Focus: APRN Scope of Practice
N6111 Theoretical Foundations Of Research And Practice (3) / Studied select theories and frameworks that can be used to guide advanced practice nurses in facilitating their learning and use of evidence-based practice. Basis on the explication of major theories that will be used in advance practice. These include nursing middle-range and practice theories, theories related to cultural aspects of care, population-based theories, change theories, and informatics theories such as bioinformatics and genetics.
Project Focus: Imogene King Goal Attainment Theory
N6120 Population-Based Foundations Of Health (3) / Evaluation of human and cultural diversity in the health-illness continuum. Core concepts include ethics; theories of health and health promotion, protection, restoration, and maintenance; and the support needed for a peaceful death.
Coursework focuses on community/population-based data on epidemiology, disease and injury prevention, health education, growth and development, and family systems.
Project Focus: Obesity in America
N6309 Role Of The Nurse Educator (3) / Explored the roles, responsibilities, and functions of the nurse educator. Emphasis placed on the development and evaluation of the interactive nature of teaching and learning in a variety of settings.
Learning Contract: Nurse Educator Role in the Healthcare Institution; Evaluate Regional BSN Curriculum in relation to AACN Essentials and IOM Future of Nursing
Educ 6410 The Adult Learner (3) / Investigate the characteristics of Adult Learners and various theories of how they learn, as well as the implications of these characteristics and theories for Adult Education Research, Programming, Curriculum, Planning, and Instructional Practice.
Learning Contract: Analyze Adult Learner Literature related to Actual Adult Learners
N6321 Instructional Strategies In Nursing Education (3) / Development and analysis of teaching and learning strategies in nursing education. Focus on adult learning principles of teaching and learning incorporated into the innovative instructional strategies.
Integration of new technology in instructional design and delivery is highlighted. Focus on evaluation methods of both teacher and learner.
Learning Contract: Simulation Learning in the Clinical and Academic Environments
N6322 Evaluation Strategies In Nursing (3) / Knowledge of evaluation concepts, including testing and measurement in nursing education at the didactic, clinical and programmatic levels. Strategies to assess and evaluate learning in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. Quality improvements, as well as legal and ethical considerations explored.
Key concepts include classical test theory; criterion and norm referenced theory and technique; reliability, validity, and the associated descriptive statistics; preparation of instrumental objectives for use in developing classroom tests and clinical nursing performance evaluations.
N6320 Learning And Curriculum Development In Nursing (3) / Examines theoretical foundations, principles, and issues in curriculum design. Explores systematic evaluation of curriculum at all levels.
Project: Developed a Simulated BSN Program including a Mission Statement, Philosophy , Curriculum Framework, Program Objectives, and System Evaluation based on Philosophical, Social, Political Economic, and Professional Issues
N6518
Pathophysiology For Advanced Nursing Practice (3) / Focused on implications for advanced nursing practice through examination of selected pathophysiological phenomena which occur frequently in the diverse populations to whom advanced nurses provide care.
N6950 Advanced Nursing Practice (4) / Advanced nursing practice examines different nursing and interdisciplinary models of case management of acute and chronic problems across the lifespan. The intensive clinical experience focuses on the pediatric care area.
Project Focus: Case Management, Reducing Hospital Readmissions, and restructuring Nursing Education on the Care Management Model
N6952 Synthesis Practicum (Clinical) (3) / Concentrated opportunity to function in an advanced nursing role as a nurse educator, integrating clinical and functional role activities within a chose setting.
Emphasis includes educator nursing practice, functional role responsibilities, and activities with emphasis on their relationship to client outcomes.
Project: Mastering NLN Educator Competencies
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