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Running head: Standards, Criteria, and

Accreditation 1

Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation of Nursing Programs

Evaluation of Curriculum Through Application of National Guidelines

Karen Armao

SUNY Delhi

NURS 602 CRN 11250, Curriculum Development & Instruction Design

Dr. Kristy Digger

September 21, 2017


Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation 2

Abstract

Accreditation assures the quality of an institution or program and assists in the improvement of

the institution or program. In performing the evaluation of a curriculum through the application

of national guidelines, the syllabus NURS 200 / Nursing III from SUNY Delhi was chosen. The

course is one of the selected nursing courses in the associates program. The process of

evaluating the program and student learning outcomes were assessed based on the Quality and

Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in

Nursing (ACEN) 2017 Standards and Criteria to identify the alignment of the nursing program

with quality education.


Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation 3

Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation of Nursing Programs

A comprehensive evaluation of the Accreditation Commission for Education in

Nursing (ACEN) standards and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)

competencies was performed to identify the alignment with the program goals and outcomes.

The Associates and Applied Science (AAS) program at SUNY Delhi has shown compliance and

excellence in higher education and has been accredited by ACEN (SUNY Delhi, 2017). In

review of the Delhi nursing program, it was identified that SUNY Delhi utilizes the QSEN

competencies as their program outcomes. QSEN has defined pre-licensure and graduate quality

and safety competencies for nursing and proposed targets for the knowledge, skills, and attitudes

to be developed in nursing pre-licensure programs for each competency (QSEN, 2017). There

are six quality and safety competencies recognized by QSEN; 1) patient-centered care, 2)

teamwork and collaboration, 3) evidence-based practice, 4) quality improvement, 5) safety, and

6) informatics.

Student Learning Outcomes & Program Outcomes

I have identified student learning outcomes (SLO) that align with three of the program

student learning outcomes. These three areas include; 1) patient-centered care, 2) teamwork and

collaboration, and 3) evidence-based practice (EBP). Patient centered care, as defined by QSEN

(2017), Recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing

compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patients preferences, values, and

needs, is in alignment with the course student learning outcomes; 1,2, and 4. Patient-centered

care is providing care that is respectful of, and responsive to, individual patient preferences,

needs and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions (One view

Healthcare, 2016). In this course, students develop the knowledge and skills to deliver
Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation 4

competent, safe patient care through nursing processes that allow them to coordinate the plan of

care for a diverse client base. The plan of care is individualized per patient and is drawn upon

the patients preferences, values, and needs.

In the healthcare field, teamwork and collaboration is a necessary component of safe

patient care. Collaboration of care requires open-communication, mutual respect, and shared-

decision making with other health care professionals to achieve higher quality patient outcomes.

In the classroom setting the students utilize discussion, lecture, and case studies to display team

work and collaboration. In my personal life, I have observed obstacles that students encounter

with collaborating or being a part of the team for their assigned client. There are many

possibilities such as; feeling of incompetence, intimidation, and unfortunately not respected by

the other team members. Bridging that gap from theory to clinical practice is key and begins in

the classroom by having the students communicate and problem solve together to develop a plan

of care congruent to the patients healthcare needs.

SUNY Delhi institutional accreditation includes the National League for Nursing

Accreditation Commission (SUNY Delhi, 2017). The IV goal of National League for Nursing

(NLN) goal is to promote evidence-based nursing education and the scholarship of teaching.

Following the NLN guidelines and classroom teachings, the students will apply evidence based

therapeutic interventions in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of patients well-being

by expanding upon the concept-based exemplars and the nursing processes for the care of the

complex patient.

QSEN Competencies

The goal of QSEN is to meet the challenge of preparing nurses who will have the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) necessary to continually improve the quality and safety
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of the healthcare system (QSEN, 2017). The student learning outcomes are related to

achievement of QCEN competencies based on the specific QCEN KSAs. Including the patient

and family in their plan of care allows for the patient to discuss their preferences and values

associated with effective support and planning of their care with the student. Acknowledging the

patient and family as partners in care allow for clarification of ethical dilemmas associated with

decision making and decreases potential conflict concerning the plan of care. Open

communication increases the students appreciation of the patients expertise with own health

and symptoms.

To achieve quality patient care, inter-professional team collaboration is mandatory.

Student nurses needs to be able to understand their own strengths, limitations, and values in

functioning as a member of the team and realize their own potential to contribute to effective

team functioning. Being part of the team involves discussions with other team members and

identifying and respecting others contributions to achieve positive clinical outcomes.

To meet the competency of evidence-based practice, students will understand basic

scientific methods and processes through instructional integration of evidence-based practice and

link therapeutic interventions in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health based on

research findings.

ACEN Standards

ACEN accreditation requires that a nursing program continually assesses and make

improvements in the educational quality of the nursing program based on data. This is done by

evaluating specific Standards and Criteria, which include mission, faculty, students, curriculum,

resources, and outcomes (ACEN, 2013). The following ACEN standards met by the course
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student learning outcomes are as follows, Standard 4: Curriculum; 4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.9, and

4.11.

The program outcomes are QSEN competencies; 1) patient-centered care, 2) teamwork

and collaboration, 3) evidence-based practice, 4) quality improvement, 5) safety, and 6)

informatics (QSEN, 2017). The foundation of the curriculum is to integrate evidence-based

practice, collaboration, and application of the nursing process delivered through discussions,

lecture, case studies, Assessment Technology Module (ATI) and measured by use of exams. The

curriculum focuses on the diverse cultural, ethical, and social backgrounds to provide

individualized care.

Discussion

Any students did not achieve a passing grade on one of the assignments and as a result

the SLO is not being met. Possible causes of students not meeting a passing grade include; lack

of clarity of the assignment, failure to address students diverse learning styles, and lack of

professional development in ones field. The ACEN guideline that is in danger of not being met

is Standard 6 Outcomes. In this case the students are not meeting one of the SLO. Criteria

associated with the student failure 6.1 will not be met the program demonstrates evidence of

students achievement of each end-of-program student learning outcome (ACEN, 2017). The

program evaluation should demonstrate that students have achieved each end-of-program student

learning outcome and each program outcome. The program outcomes are based on QSEN,

therefore if a student is not meeting one of the SLO there will be a ripple effect in which all

QSEN guidelines will not be met. The description of the course is reflective of evidence-based

practice accomplished through the collaboration with the healthcare team, focusing on patient

centered care. My suggested solution to address the unmet SLO would be to perform a program
Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation 7

evaluation plan and teaching strategies evaluation to determine if the chosen teaching strategies

will accomplish SLO. I would also evaluate the specific assignment comparing it to the teaching

module and speak with the students to see if there is a similar theme to their concerns. Upon

completion of the evaluation, institution of changes in the curriculum to include; revision of the

curriculum or teaching strategies as identified in the evaluation, re-educate faculty, implement

the changes in the curriculum instruction, and re-evaluate student assignment outcomes based on

the changes.
Standards, Criteria, and Accreditation 8

References

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (2013). Accreditation manual. Retrieved

from http://www.acenursing.org/accreditation-manual/

Cronenwett, L., Sherwood, G., & Gelmon, S. (2009). Improving quality and safety education:

The QSEN learning collaborative. Nursing Outlook, 57(6). 304-312. Retrieved from

http://www.nursingoutlook.org/

Oneview Healthcare. (2016). The eight principles of patient-centered care. Retrieved from

http://www.oneviewhealthcare.com/the-eight-principles-of-patient-centered-care/

SUNY Delhi. (2017). AAS Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.delhi.edu/academics/majors-

programs/associates/nursing/index.php

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN). (2017). Competencies. Retrieved from

http://qsen.org/competencies/

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses. (2017). QSEN Competencies. Retrieved from

http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/

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