Requesting input from nursing instructors or nursing school administrators

[AZO49008]

I'm a 1st semester student in an ADN program. For many of our lab sessions, prior to coming to lab we need to review and write synopsis notes of various media (videotapes, CD-ROMS, etc) covering the various skills we're learning.

Today was the last straw...I am not going to rest until my school buys updated instructional media!!! Many of the videotapes are from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Yes, the core concepts remain the same, but a lot of the medical technology has changed. These are supposed to be instructional tools, not something you're likely to see on the History Channel! Plus, the videotapes are old, worn out and the tracking and audio is horrendous.

I've got an idea to get some student nursing association members together over the summer and write a grant proposal to get funds to buy us new, updated media. Why our program directors haven't done this is beyond me, but I'm all about being part of the solution, so I'm going to float this proposal at the next Student Nursing Association meeting and see what sort of reaction it gets.

My question is this: what are sources to research for this type of instructional media? Are there any sources you recommend? I used to work in nonprofit, so I can write grants till the cows come home, but I have no idea where to even look to to source instructional media for nursing programs.

I do realize that the faculty and dean would ultimately have to review the media and sign off on it, and ultimately be the ones to make the purchase. Our project will be to get the money, and their responsibility will be to use it effectively. But we'll need to have some idea as to potential costs of various media, which is the crux of my question.

If this comes to fruition, of course we'll be able to get sourcing information from our instructors and dean, but I'd like to at least do a little cursory research so I sound like I know what I'm talking about when I approach the faculty with my idea.

Thanks in advance for your help and input!

[scribblerpnp]

Good luck for your endeavor!

What our school has found to be the biggest problem with grants are that as a faculty we are understaffed. Barely enough people to teach and then grant-writing gets moved to lower status because you can't do everything. Also a lot of grants focus on giving money to schools with low NCLEX pass-rates (which isn't our trouble) or schools who are willing to do some type of research related to the grant- and again- faculty who are overloaded teaching don't have time to do research.

I don't have a lot of advice to give other than finding another local nursing school who has an awesome tech dept and see what they use.

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

My school had us buy the Prentice Hall nursing skills CD-ROMs to watch at home, and they were listed as part of the many books that we are required to purchase.

There is a basic skills set and intermediate/advanced skills set there are 5 CDs with each set. I know that paying for more books is not somehting that you would want to do, but the CDs are up to date, and easy to navigate and might be a better option to outdated videos

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

After you get concensus from SNA and have a talk with the Dean (to be sure someone isn't already doing this without your knowledge) I would approach the various publishing houses (Elsevier, Lippincott, Mosby, etc), Also Johnson & Johnson has funding for various nursing endeavors. Another option is to seek help from a local teaching hospital, if any. They have more resources and contacts for this type funding. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Your real objective is to finish nursing school. This could always be a project for the alumni after graduation! Good luck!!