In a perfect world, how would YOU like to see nursing education improved?

[WestCoastSunRN]

If you spend any time on AN, you'll see a common theme of dismay regarding nursing education -- especially, but not limited to, graduate nursing programs. Let's pool our ideas here about how to improve the whole system -- as if someone tasked you to come up with improvements that would actually be employed within nursing academia. We can list improvements for all levels of education. I'm sure we won't all agree on the ideas, but it might be interesting to see the variety. I'll go first.

UNDERGRADUATE:

- all ADN programs should be linked to a BSN bridge program

- chemistry and biochem should be added to prereqs (some schools do require), as well as a full year of statistics (as opposed to one semester)

- Nursing Theory should be covered (and sprinkled lightly) within the context of other classes in order to show application, as opposed to a separate course.

- Written work should be heavily focused on case studies and literature review pertaining to expected or actual clinical experiences.

- Clinical hours should provide plenty of hands-on experience for students to do bedside procedures and manage patient load.

- Clinical hours should be closely supervised, and taught, by clinical instructors (not a drop off the baby nurse and run scenario and hope you got a good nurse to teach 'em)

GRADUATE

- Tightened accreditation standards for ALL schools offering MSN or DNP programs -- regardless of APRN or not, resulting in reduced admissions and closed schools.

- Incentives for schools offering Education tracks and for students pursuing this to help meet the shortage of nursing faculty.

- Direct Entry APRN programs requiring 2,000 hours of nursing practice prior to a minimum of 1,000 hours of APRN practicum in specialty.

- ALL APRN programs requiring 1,000 hours minimum of practicum in specialty.

- DNP programs either research or clinically focused -- adding 500 clinical hours and result in adding a specialty or narrowing focus on one (cardiac, critical care, heme onc, etc).

- ALL APRN programs have a business course included.

- Paid preceptors -- preceptors are considered faculty and contracted

- Hybrid learning (online and in class) with state schools incentivized to offer programs.

Here's a few. What do others think?

[beekee]

Simulations should be real world scenarios that a first year nurse might see. You sit down for your day and see these labs and your assessment, what medications would you hold. You assess your patient and find X, what would you do next and in what order (not necessarily emergencies, just subtle changes). You patient complains of X, what focused assessments would you do, what meds would you give, what interventions would you do. You review labs, EKG, history, etc., what do you expect to find on assessment and the reverse, you assess a patient, what do you expect to find on labs, EKG, history, etc

My clinical experience was so very lacking. I could give medications and do a head to toe. I didn’t learn critical thinking or time management. I learn very basic tasks (med administration and ADLs being the majority). It did not prepare me at all to be a nurse.