4. A Teaching/Learning Environment Which Stimulates and Motivates Students
Student success, being a critical outcome to the learning environment, is paramount to the purpose, goals and mission of the School of Nursing. Student success is based on established educational outcomes but is enhanced when the environment promotes creativity, scholarly achievement and honors academic integrity. Other critical components of the learning environment include: dedicated, qualified faculty and students with a passion for the profession of nursing; administrative competence; quality clinical experiences; learning assignments designed to promote critical analysis with utilization of research and adequate resources.
Currently in the process of development are the following initiatives:
- Recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty
- Recruitment and nurturing of high-achieving students
- Design of learning experiences which target critical analysis, problem solving and evidence based solutions
- Technologies which support simulation designed in life saving decision making and advanced skill intervention
- Advanced online instructional technology which allows for increased student and faculty interactions
- Development of interdisciplinary activities which broaden the nursing student's perspective in patient care
Future Goals
Investigation, analysis and implementation of strategies (activities) that promote or enhance student success
Student workshops which showcase nursing in a global context and health issues relevant to the future
Establishment of a cadre of consultants to guide, evaluate and provide outside perspectives to faculty and administration
Development of faculty focus groups who identify "state of the art" instructional strategies, seek out research related to specific strategies, organize a plan of implementation and evaluate outcomes
Organization of a plan for application of evidence based nursing research which disseminates the results of the scholarly work conducted by faculty