Education Interventions to Pass NCLEX

that no one has replied to this thread....I wish someone would...thank you! I could use some assistance. From what my students have told me they can't seem to get faculty interested in the topic...wonder why? Perhaps the low pass rate has something to do with it or it takes too much effort or what else?

Barbara

Hi Barb,

I'm an ADN student and I would have to agree with you with the correlation between low pass rates and a disinterest in the topic of NCLEX review. I know the professors at my school just discovered a couple of weeks ago (mind you this is my first semester) that it would be a good idea to set aside quality time to go over some NCLEX style review questions for our exams that we have in class.

I feel this is something that all schools should do, from the beginning of the semester. Hey, maybe that can even make it some type of mandatory class that all students should take. Although, personally I don't feel the review sessions we've been getting are all that helpful (it could be the way they are handled). However, another student may find them extremely helpful.

As for tips on how to review, I guess you can have students buy one book each so you have a wide variety of questions to ask. I know my professor suggested that to us for study groups.

I also think it is very important that you mix both psychomotor and critical thinking skills. Both are equally important and depend on one another, in my opinion.

Toni

Toni,

I appreciate your comments and I do know a student who has passed the NCLEX who has many resources....she is going to place them in the office for other students to use. I do use Practice Questions in the beginning of class for my higher level course .... I get them online from Delmar and Kaplan. The students seem to like doing this too. So, perhaps I need to do this with Foundations students too.

I always wonder what people mean when they say they are taking a test with NCLEX-type questions...I think as long as the faculty utilizes Bloom's Taxonomy and provides questions that are at the Analysis and Application levels, we should be providing NCLEX-type questions. One of my students said that her final consisted of NCLEX-type questions and she said it was extremely difficult. I am asking the professor for a copy of that exam to evaluate it.

As in the real world of education, it is my students who assist me the most often...thank you for your assistance!

Barbara

No problem, glad to be of help! Let me know how those questions (from the final) are.

Talk to ya.

Toni

In my school we revamped all our examinations to be in the form of NCLEX style questions. It took a few years to get to that point, but it did help our students by their own reports.

Writing NCLEX style questions is a skill in itself - I had been an 'item writer' in another state and was also used to teaching part time for Kaplan, so I gave a workshop on how to write appropriate questions - this needed DON support and some staff were against it at first. I was also surprised at the low level of educational knowledge of the instructors - things like Bloom's taxonomy were new to so many. Eventually, with DON support, we gave workshops/CEUs for staff in these areas too.

Schools with 'low' pass rates do not continue to receive BoN approval for the program; this is one thing the BoN monitors well because they are a consumer advocate agency and the students, to some extent, are consumers of what the school purports to offer. So I question the issues over 'low' pass rates. How does your school compare to the average in your state, or nationwide?

When pushed by students to recommend an NCLEX style question book I would suggest the National Student Nurses' Association book - it seemed closest to what I knew about NCLEX questions.

I do think it is very important to dispel the myths about NCLEX-RN (CAT) for students. Hold a fact session about the test with exact details on how a student is determined to pass or fail (this is complex - best illustrated by a graph with a hurdle on it, I believe), about the time issues involved and the mandatory break and optional break.

Remind them to take water and possibly a snack and to take a test run to be sure they know how to get there and where to park etc. Do reinforce, 'while the computer is running, you still have a chance to show you can pass the test. Keep on.' I've had students take five hours and get thru nearly all the questions and still pass. Or had students failed with a shut off at 75.

Remind students that the first questions are for practice, but they run into the real test with no clear break. Tell them that if a question just reads in a weird manner, to make a choice and move on (it is just possible that question is not part of the test, but is itself being 'tested'.

Warn students that the test center may not have ideal conditions e.g. some students of mine took NCLEX with road works and drills outside the window or noise in the test center.

Otherwise I just taught good nursing care, did not get into expert care scenarios with students as NCLEX tests a new graduate, not a critical care RN, critical thinking skills (e.g. we all know that to prevent osteoporosis, regular weight bearing exercise on the long bones is a good idea - make sure they can translate these sort of stylized responses into real life and realize this includes dancing, safe weight lifting.) I was surprised at the number of students who could trot out the text book statements, but did not know what these statements really meant in practice.

Hope this helps.

i recently passed the NCLEX RN i used the Saunders NCLEX review i found it very helpful.

Tara

I just tried to check on how my college rates with the state of IL, but I cannot find the information. At this school, it seems to be a secret what the pass rates are...I recently asked the Dean who stated it was 84%...which is the exact pass rate of the last BSN program where I had taught, but did go up during my time there. Could you direct me to a site that would inform me how this number compares to other nursing schools? I had not thought of doing that until you mentioned it here so thank you. I merely was not pleased with the number and decided something proactive must be done.

I was also wanting to ask you if you had learned how to write questions for tests in graduate school? We had to do this in exercises and identify which of Bloom's taxonomy we were testing. I learned a great deal from those exercises. Also, several years ago, I had discussed test item writing with another faculty member who wrote questions for NCLEX. When I reviewed some of her questions, I did not see that it was critical thinking that was being tested...many were at the knowledge level. So, I am confused about what exactly writing questions like NCLEX means....to me, it would be testing at the application or analysis level of Bloom's taxonomy.

I appreciate your assistance,

Barbara

I can't remember... I think it was in the most recent issue of Nursing Education-- there was a fairly well done study that discussed preparation for NCLEX. I can't remember the entire content of the article, but it was pretty good. If your school subscribes, check it out.

Here are some of the things that I've done in class and clinical to foster critical thinking/NCLEX success:

1. 5 multiple choice questions at the end of a lecture. Review them with the students. Talk about how to reason through each question.

2. Advocate buying an NCLEX review book during the first semester of clinicals and using it throughout clinicals, not just at the end of the program.

3. Test review for the entire class is immediate. Students can silently look at a copy of the test taped down to a table in the back of the room, as they finish they can go back and look. Immediate test review helps them to learn from their mistakes. I require students who fail exams to do a 1:1 review with me in my office within a week of the exam. Not as punishment, but to pinpoint their weaknesses before the next exam.

4. After AM report, I ask each student individually to rank the patients in priority order (ie who needs them the most according to what they heard in report). I also ask them to list nursing diagnoses for each patient that they heard about in report.

5. My clinical group has a "drug of the day" discussion in post conference once a week. I tell them the name of an OB drug, and they have to look it up during their shift and memorize whatever they can about the drug. In postconference, they each must tell a fact about the drug, but not repeat what another student said.

Hope some of these ideas work for others!

STG

I am printing out all of your replies and they are excellent and helpful strategies. SteelTown...I love the idea of giving five MC review questions at the end of the lecture....do you do this in written form or verbally? I do some of the other things that you mentioned already, but it is helpful to be reminded as well.

Happy New Year,

Barbara

I must say I like your approach. I bet it proved to be very beneficial for your students.I sure could have used an instructor with your style of educating when I was in nursing school.

I would like to see more emphases directed towards the preparation for the skills needed to become successful when sitting for state boards. This needs to take place from the very begining and throughout the students educational experience. Gaining the knowledge of the nursing curriculum along with the application of that knowledge in any given situation, nomatter how simple or complex it presents, is the basis for which we can build our critical thinking skills.

I love the idea of prioritizing the clients based on report. The more you do the better you become at recagnising what takes priority over what. Very important.

You have to know, what is the question asking me? break it down. exercise your thought process, reason it down. The more you do the better at it you become.If the nursing program i attended prepared me my utilizing these simple but so crucial study skills,I would have been well prepared for state boards. Keep up your great work

Please excuse my spelling and grammer but this leasure time for me

An EXCELLENT article on getting the most miles out of your classroom instruction (and preparing the students for the NCLEX examination):

Herman, J.W. (2002). The 60-second nurse educator: creative strategies to inspire learning. Nursing Education Perspectives, 9/1/2002

TODAY'S NURSE EDUCATORS serve multiple roles in the classroom. We are mentors, sages, entertainers, information jugglers, motivators, and more. One of our primary goals is to inspire. Through our connections with our students, we hope they will develop greater motivation and a greater capacity to learn, remember the information we impart and think about its relevance, and essentially "turn on" to learning.

The strategies presented in this article can be integrated into large classrooms, small classes, and clinical learning experiences. An inherent message is that content that is presented and reinforced in a fun manner will have a greater likelihood of being learned, and creating environments that celebrate learning will enhance nursing education (1).

We all face obstacles to using creative methods in the classroom, including lack of preparation time and insufficient class time, our own teaching style habits, the divergent learning styles of students, and the perceived need to cover all the content in class. The strategies presented here are quick, easy to implement, and transferable to a wide range of teaching topics and settings. It is important to remember that "shared perspectives, shared knowledge, and shared experiences are key foundational building blocks of creativity" (2, p. 675). Creating an atmosphere that promotes sharing and establishes rapport with students enhances learning and makes it memorable.

The Large Classroom Teaching in a large room with more than 50 learners offers significant challenges. The physical distance between teacher and learner can lead to an impersonal atmosphere in which the teacher does not know the learners, and the learners do not know one another. In larger classrooms where it is difficult to see all participants, it may be difficult to engage all the learners (3).

Strategies that increase student comfort, personal interpretation of content, and learning in large classrooms include in-lecture short methods, case studies, and in-class quizzes and tests. In-lecture innovations are quick, easy exercises or experiences that stimulate interest, build rapport, and reinforce concepts. While delivering information in a lecture format, the instructor can intersperse activities and ideas that grab the student's attention. (See Table 1.)

Case studies and scenarios are commonly used in nursing education. Rich clinical anecdotes, the drama of the human experience, and the practical nature of nursing knowledge all contribute to the value of this method. Case studies can be as brief or as extensive as time and abilities permit. Several types of cases are introduced in Table 2.

The in-class quizzes and test questions in Table 3 are important for reinforcing content. Students themselves, especially seniors facing the NCLEX exam, often request test items to be discussed in class. They are useful for testing knowledge, gaining a glimpse into test formats and content, and identifying learning needs.

The instructor should caution the class to wait for a signal before giving the answer. Students who are slower readers or need to think about test options find it frustrating to have peers answer a question before they find the answer.

These strategies may be implemented in large classrooms to enhance traditional lectures. Well-planned in-lecture innovations, case studies, and quizzes and test questions provide diversion, opportunities to assess student learning, tools to serve as memory builders, and reinforcement of key concepts.

Small Classes The definition of a small class varies with the environment. In some academic settings, a small class consists of no more than 10 students. In others, classes with fewer than 50 students are considered small. Generally, small groups of 20 to 30 students offer a great number of teaching advantages.

Working with a small group can be an enjoyable and effective teaching experience. By engaging learners and employing cooperative learning and problem-based techniques, teachers may perceive that they are in the most fertile ground for educational enhancements (4). However, challenges remain. Some students are reluctant to participate even in smaller groups, and the dynamics of the group may present some negative aspects.

While a cohesive group may encourage active learning, the dynamics of some groups discourage participation and the spirit of inquiry. A teacher who is able to assess group attitudes and needs can enhance group function through the use of learning interventions such as the ice-breakers, group exercises, and cooperative activities found in Table 4.

Teaching nursing research and scholarly appreciation is frequently a challenge for nurse educators. The need to make research understandable, relevant, useful, and enjoyable is necessary to develop future nurse scientists and enhance nursing care and client outcomes. Whether taught as a separate course or incorporated throughout the curriculum, research concepts are often taught in smaller groups. Several methods that may enhance learning are listed in Table 5.

Clinical Teaching Clinical teaching is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding venues in nursing education. It also offers significant challenges due to the intensity of the environment, the potential for large clinical groups, and the varying needs of students. Instructors grapple with the balance between teaching students and providing valid evaluation. Fostering independence in students is always tempered by the need to maintain control and organization within the group.

Several strategies can enhance clinicals and postconferences to create valuable learning experiences. The innovative strategies and enjoyable learning experiences in Table 6 can help both students and faculty balance the stress and frustration associated with clinical instruction (5). Teaching critical thinking, priority setting, and the application of theory are integral to nursing education. Ultimately, the clinical setting is where the practice of nursing is learned, and novice nurses grow and develop.

The Pros and Cons Creativity interfaces with content and the teacher's knowledge when ingenuity and imagination are used to design teaching strategies. Innovation and humor can drive home points and enhance retention (6), and the use of cartoons, film clips, and carefully expressed anecdotes can help change the pace of the traditional lecture, place content on a human plane, and demonstrate to students an enjoyment of teaching and sharing (7,8).

There are, however, disadvantages as well as advantages to the use of these strategies. On the positive side, these strategies appeal to different learning styles, stimulate students to attend to information, and, by making concept connections, facilitate the transition from one topic to another. The disadvantages arise from the risk inherent in each strategy. Some student's may not understand the significance or application of content, some may misconstrue meanings, and others may consider methods childish. Methods may "crash and burn" if students feel ill prepared for the activity or prefer passive learning methods.

To enhance effectiveness, creative 60-second strategies should be dealt in appropriate doses, casually added to content, and not forced or overused. Using them involves preparation time and class time. It is best to start with a few methods and adapt them to one's personal teaching style. The activities offered in this article can serve as a springboard for the development of new exercises.

Like any other skill, integrating new teaching strategies into one's instructional style demands a willingness to take risks, stretch one's imagination, and practice. To enter a realm where learning is active, fun, and memorable, and encourage students to respond positively to the experience, educators may want to remember this quotation from William Butler Yeats, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" (9, p. 35).

Key Words Clinical Teaching--Creative Teaching Strategies--Nursing Education--Student Learning

TABLE 1.

IN-LECTURE INNOVATIONS

Why are you here? Open the class with the

question, "Why are you here?" Responses to this

question allow instructors to compare their own

goals with those of their learners and gear content

to student needs. Sharing of class plans sets boundaries

about what will and will not be covered and

clarifies expectations.

Short clips Show movie segments, commercials,

or clips from television shows to reinforce concepts.

Health care shows offer positive and negative

portrayals of nursing, medicine, client perspectives,

and key issues. Popular videos bear poignant

messages for today's TV generation. Rapport is

enhanced and information retained when content

relates to the learner's frame of reference. Even

greeting cards and comic strips provide humorous

ways to emphasize key information.

Stories Lay, business, parenting, or news literature

can enhance the relevance of key concepts.

Children's books may be used to develop an

appreciation of the universal nature of health

care issues and priorities. Nurses and students

instinctively cling to "war stories" and clinical

anecdotes to capture attention and reinforce

information. Telling brief, current, and well-spaced

stories may entice learners to attend to

content and establish priorities. Several publications

provide rich anecdotes to augment nursing

content (6,7,10).

What's the big deal? A common source of

frustration for many nursing students is setting

priorities and selecting initial, key nursing

actions. Many students are shocked to find that

all four options on a multiple choice exam represent

correct answers, with their role being to

delineate the most correct answer. Implement

this strategy by asking, "What's the big deal?"

after teaching a concept. Focus on clinical scenarios,

cultural and spiritual priorities, and personal

experiences by asking this question and

having students discuss priorities and the impact

of health problems on clients.

Jigsaw This strategy by Ulrich and Glendon (11)

allows several groups to function individually to

meet the large group role. Each group contributes

a piece to the completion of a puzzle.

Conclusions are posted or reported to the class

for collective learning. Small groups are asked to

accomplish a task, such as diagnosing a cluster of

client conditions, analyzing different legal case

studies, and teaching across the lifespan at different

developmental levels. The instructor circulates

among the groups and helps communicate

results to the entire class.

All things being equal Students are given three

assessments or conditions about a client and must

prioritize client needs based on the given data with

the caveat "all things being equal." Delineating priorities

in the face of several pieces of information is

useful for developing skills in taking multiple choice

tests and NCLEX.

When you think of this, think of that This is

essentially a matching exercise to be used immediately

after a brief lecture to reinforce and clarify

key concepts. Two columns of data are presented

on overheads or PowerPoint slides. Students must

match the left and right columns.

Current events Current news stories, both

local and broad in scope, provide a "real-world"

application of learned content. Students are accustomed

to discussing current events from grade

school on. A significant number of nursing issues

can be discussed within the context of world

affairs. This strategy reinforces the need for nursing

professionals to be cognizant of current issues.

Research moments / corners Integrating

nursing research into every nursing topic establishes

currency of knowledge and provides a mechanism

for students to see the integral nature of research.

Providing a research moment in every lecture

enhances interest and discussion. Posting appropriate

research on a bulletin board, kiosk, or website

may stimulate the spirit of inquiry by allowing for

immediate application to current topics.

TABLE 2.

CASE STUDIES

Quickie cases These one-slide or overhead cases

provide real-world application of content without

taking up much time. Students are asked to consider

a case study with limited data. Quickie cases provide

a segue into new topics, reinforce complex

prototypes of conditions, and relate clinical cases to

didactic content.

Before-class case studies Many students do not

spend time preparing for class. Providing case studies

in student workbooks that students must read

and research in order to answer questions adds to

the value of time spent in class for clarifying concepts

and identifying potential test areas. These cases

appeal to those students who need to read,

write, and hear concepts to actively learn. Cases

published in texts for educators may be helpful for

generating ideas and formats (12).

Continuing case studies / unfolding case

studies Developed by Glendon and Ulrich (13,14),

unfolding cases can be used to stimulate large group

discussion. Cases are presented and questions discussed

in small groups. Additional information is

provided and discussions are generated concerning

new developments. Continuing cases can be distributed

throughout the lecture to reinforce each step

of the discussion, providing a creative way to

strengthen critical thinking.

TABLE 3.

IN-CLASS QUIZZES AND TEST QUESTIONS

Quizzes Administering unannounced quizzes

meets several goals. Students are given one point for

simply attending class, one point for a question on

preparatory readings, and one point for content discussed

in class.

In-class questions Showing test questions every

few minutes during a lecture enables students to

test their skills. Published test banks, nursing review

books, and questions in the text provide a ready

supply of test items that can be integrated into lecture

content. Computerized slide presentations

allow for the presentation of a question and highlighting

the correct answer, allowing for a realistic

simulation of computer testing.

Leap questions To increase critical thinking,

instructors can develop test questions that ask students

to go to the next level. Rather than simply

testing knowledge, in-class test questions should ask

students to leap to the next point, apply knowledge,

determine key interventions, and establish priorities.

Play it again, Sam Repeating in-class test questions

throughout the semester or from year to

year allows students to see what they have

learned. Using similar test questions demonstrates

previous learning, increases confidence, and provides

practice.

TABLE 4.

SMALL-CLASS STRATEGIES

Using prompts or manipulatives People of

all ages learn visually. Using toys, common household

objects, clime store prizes, or health care

equipment can aid in retention.

What's the point? After presenting content or

a client case, students are asked, "What's the

point?" This simple question helps ground content

and emphasize priorities.

The right thing to do Students are given a case

for analyzing legal and ethical issues and asked,

"What is the right thing to do?" This strategy can

promote discussion of some of the common

sense aspects of nursing. Presented with a client

scenario, students may be asked to reflect on

common interventions and the common sense

orientation inherent in nursing care.

Twosies Students pair off to demonstrate facial

expressions, assess each other's shoes, or discuss

a topic. This allows for personal discussion, even

when the size of the entire group precludes personal

sharing. In one example, the student turns

to a neighbor and says "nice shirt," using several

vocal tones and gestures. This exercise reinforces

the importance of the nonverbal elements of

communication.

Admit tickets Students are asked to answer a

question, ask a question, or make a comment about

class and write it on a ticket. The instructor allows

only those students who have a ticket into the

classroom, reinforcing the need for personal

responsibility, class preparation, and active involvement.

This strategy requires the instructor to maintain

a strict policy in dealing with nonparticipants.

Some instructors reverse this strategy and require

a ticket to leave the class.

The same information Students are given a

case in class, unaware that two groups have two different

sets of information. Students discuss the case

and realize that they are dealing with information

from different perspectives. This exercise may be

used to reinforce principles of communication, culture,

and caring.

Student-led seminars Students are asked to

lead small discussions. This common classroom

strategy provides reinforcement and another voice

while cultivating public speaking talents.

Let's be real By saying "Let's be real" after a theoretically

based discussion, information is framed

within the context of true nursing practice. Clinical

examples provide a mechanism for discussion. This

is an excellent opportunity to help students differentiate

between real-life health care issues and

those on TV and elsewhere.

The six hats This activity, developed by Gross

(15), cultivates decision-making, teamwork, and

empathy in participants. Each color hat represents

a different perspective of an issue and provides

a forum for discussion (red = feelings/emotions,

yellow = optimism, green = creativity, blue

= the global, rational perspective, black = pessimism,

and white = pure logic).

Think-pair-share / Teaching trios / Group

think Described by several authors, including

Ulrich and Glendon (11), this versatile method

works well with clinical groups and all class

sizes, allowing for full participation. A question

or issue is posed. Students are asked to contemplate

the issue, pair up, and share insights. If done

in Teaching Trios, one member moderates or

evaluates the process. Larger groups can work in

a mode called Group Think, in which problems

are solved using group process.

In-basket exercises The methods above can

be incorporated into "In-basket" exercises. Students

are given a task, a time frame, and a limited

amount of information. They solve the problem

using only the data presented. These exercises are

effective in developing group cohesiveness and as

early group activities.

Write to learn Writing frequent statements during

a lecture or small group activity will stimulate

thinking, engage learners, and enhance writing skills.

Students may be instructed to describe a clinical

experience in one sentence, summarize the key

point of a discussion, or react to a statement (16).

Imagine Teaching empathy to new nurses can be

a challenge. Asking students to imagine what it

would be like to live through an ordeal and use personal

imagery to describe the emotions evoked is a

valuable way to enhance sensitivity.

Games Any content can be put into the format of

a marketed game, an adapted game show, or a

home-made rendition. Keep in mind group size,

class objectives, and the volume of content. Games

may last 10 minutes or the entire class period, provide

for out-of-class study, or test for the acquisition

of knowledge.

Icebreakers Small groups frequently require

some method of introducing participants. Instructors

may have students introduce each other or

seek out answers to the "Why are you here?" question.

An effective icebreaker is to have pairs of students

try to find four characteristics they have in

common and four differences. Discussions may follow

around which proved easier, and commonalities

among students.

TABLE 5.

RESEARCH EXERCISES

How do you pick your shampoo? In a

larger group, students can be asked about the

decision-making process used to select a

brand of shampoo. Using the steps of the

research process, students correlate

research, decision-making, and the nursing

process.

Mike's scale / Shoot the arrow / Measuring

head exercises using straight rulers,

thread, and elastic Froman and Edwards

(17) describe several methods to teach about

reliability and validity. These exercises illustrate

the differences between these concepts

and their relevance to the research process.

Readers are encouraged to look to this

source for further details.

Designing mock studies Students plan

and implement mock research studies in

which they reinforce concepts of the

research process, including protection of

human subjects, data collection and analysis,

and nursing implications.

Campus research Students survey peers

and other students to learn elements of tool

development, field research, observational

research, and data analysis.

Concept maps Visual maps of research

concepts and methods may be used to reinforce

the research process or for the critique

of individual studies (18).

Clinical application of findings To apply

findings, students are asked to find a nursing

research article that applies to personal clinical

practice. Emphasis is on the critique of the

study and on the ability to utilize study

results in nursing practice.

TABLE 6.

CLINICAL TEACHING STRATEGIES

One-minute care plan Prior to patient care, students

develop a short problem/nursing diagnosis list.

Goals and strategies are established. The students

use the plan to guide patient activities, organize their

care, and evaluate goal attainment. Students create

useful and realistic patient profiles based on the

nursing process.

Grand rounds Use one-minute care plans to conduct

bedside or room-side nursing rounds. In a private

setting, students present their clients, have discussions

with colleagues, and work through difficult

patient issues.

Field trips Trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, or

toy store may be used to teach concepts of wellness,

nutrition, development, or pharmacology. Wikstrom

documented using trips to an art gallery to teach

nursing concepts (19).

Clinical questioning The ability to question students

about their preparation and readiness for care,

learning in the clinical setting, and ability to think critically

is truly an art. Students frequently find this type

of questioning offensive. Instructors must develop

nurturing, yet valid, methods to assess and teach in

the clinical area (20,21).

Ah-hah journals Journaling is a common method

of supporting student reflection and learning. Ah-hah

journals require students to identify a critical event,

something they did not know before, had not thought

of, or found surprising. In the journal they identify this

"ah-hah" describe the details and setting, pinpoint the

thoughts and feelings that accompanied the event, and

generalize learned concepts to future situations.

Using ah-hah journals helps steer students away from

chronological, nonreflective journal writing.

V-8 postconferences Much like ah-hah journals, V-8

conferences serve as a forum for discussing newly

learned concepts, ideas, or surprises in the clinical

setting. Students learn vicariously from one another.

Student-led discussions Students asked to lead

pre- or postconferences often come up with creative

ways to present information. Whether as a case

study, procedure, or debate, students sensitive to

each others' needs after a long day of clinical can

make these conferences fun and informative.

Pass the problem This is a great postconference

activity for students new to care planning. Students

place the age, gender, background information, medical

diagnosis, and nursing diagnosis for a client at the

top of a paper. The paper is passed to the next students.

Each student is asked to add client goals and a

nursing strategy to the information. Passed around a

group of eight to 10, the activity facilitates the planning

of client care and associated written work.

Quick-write Much like write-to-learn in small

groups, students in postconference are asked to

quickly write their reactions to the day, to a proposed

dilemma, or a note to their client. These may

be kept private or shared with the group.

Active reading Students can be taught the value of

policies or procedures by reading a policy from the

text or agency prior to performing the skill in the

clinical area. The skill is carried our, and the experience

stimulates a postconference discussion. Students

who were not able to practice the skill can

learn from the experience of others.

Group concept mapping Concept mapping is a

common strategy to enhance thinking in individual

nursing students (18). Working in teams can lead to

mapping activities of complex topics, such as care of

the burn client, dehydration, and heart failure.

Debate Formal debate is not often used in postconference,

but providing the opportunity to prepare

for a debate encourages involvement in public

issues and exploration of the nursing role. Many real-world

topics would be relevant to any clinical setting.

Learn from each other More a philosophy than a

strategy, students are encouraged to capitalize on

the experiences of others to gain the most out of

clinicals. Active discussion, meeting each other's

clients, and assisting one another in providing care

not only increases the value of the clinical setting, but

also encourages teamwork and collegiality.

References

(1.) Skiba, D. J. (1997). Transforming nursing education to celebrate learning. Nursing and Health Care Perspectives, 18, 124-131.

(2.) Simplicio, J. S. C. (2000). Teaching classroom educators how to be more effective and creative teachers. Education, 120, 675-682.

(3.) Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (1998). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty. Philadelphia: Saunders.

(4.) Irwin, S. M. (1996). Creative teaching strategies. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 27, 108-114.

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Judith W. Herrman, MS, AN, a doctoral candidate at the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of Delaware, is undergraduate clinical coordinator, Department of Nursing, University of Delaware, Newark. Special thanks are extended to Kathleen A. Schell, DNSc, AN, for her review of the morificecript.

COPYRIGHT 2002 National League for Nursing, Inc.

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