Teaching Summary Project

NURS 402 – Nurse as Educator

Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to provide the student the opportunity to summarize in
detail the development, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional intervention for a
specific patient or professional group.
Student Approach to Assignment
I approached this assignment with the intention to develop a teaching plan on a topic that
could improve patient safety outcomes. I wanted to utilize the assignment as an opportunity to
create a teaching plan that was applicable to improve patient outcomes at my place of
employment. I work as a registered nurse at a local acute care hospital in the intensive care unit
(ICU). After identifying my population, performed a needs assessment to reveal the learning
needs and styles of my co-workers. I developed and implemented a teaching plan to address
pressure injury prevention strategies based on the results of my needs assessment. This project
provided me with the opportunity to learn about how to develop and implement a formal
teaching plan project. After completion of the project, my manager let me implement the project
on our unit. Since implementation, there has been a unit-wide decrease in hospital acquired
pressure injuries (HAPI).
Reason for Inclusion of this Assignment in the Portfolio
This project is included in my portfolio because it is a representation of my work as a
nurse educator. As a nurse, it is important to be able to educate individuals to further knowledge
in areas that improve patient safety and practice. The nursing process of assessment, diagnosis,
outcomes, identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation are key in patient care.
Application of the nursing process to develop a teaching plan is a reflection of personal growth
and role development. The profession of nursing is a multifaceted. Nurses take on a variety of
different roles in efforts to provide optimal patient outcomes. This project highlights my ability
to identify a problem and develop an individualized plan to fix the problem.
• Communication
o Expresses oneself and communicates effectively with diverse groups and disciplines
using a variety of media in a variety of contexts
In this assignment, I developed a teaching plan for 13 registered nurses. The presentation
was designed to cater to a professional culture due to the audience being colleagues in my
workplace. I had to communicate clearly and effectively to convey important information about
pressure injury prevention strategies. Effective communication is evidenced through all group
members scoring a 100% on the posttest and being able to provide return demonstrations. I
incorporated hard-copy handouts of slides, hands-on learning, a slide-show presentation, and a
professional presentation to carry out my project. I utilized a variety of media and contexts to
enhance my communication and accommodate the individual learning styles of group members.
o Accesses and utilizes data and information from a wide range of sources to enhance
patient and professional communication

I developed and presented a teaching plan to my coworkers about HAPI prevention. I

used the VARK Learning Styles Questionnaire created by Flemming and Mills to assess the
learning style of my audience. The data gained from the questionnaire provided insight to the
individual learning styles of my audience. Utilization of the VARK Learning Styles
Questionnaire enhanced professional communication because I was able to present the material
in a way that catered to individual learning styles.

• Teaching
o Provides teaching to patients and/or professionals about health care procedures and
technologies in preparation for and following nursing or medical interventions
I developed and presented a professional teaching presentation to 13 registered nurses.
The focus of the presentation was education on pressure injury prevention products available in
the intensive care unit and their uses. The goal was for nurses to understand how to properly use
all the HAPI prevention tools. One prevention tool included in the presentation was the Turn and
Position System (TAPS) by Prevalon. The TAPS technology was explained and proper use was
demonstrated. Nurses had to provide a return demonstration of how to properly use the system.
o Evaluates the efficacy of health promotion and education modalities for use in a variety
of settings with diverse populations
I developed and presented a teaching presentation about HAPI prevention strategies for a
population of 13 registered nurses. The population age range varied from 24 – 36 years old and
each nurse had a minimum education level of an associate degree in nursing. I evaluated the
presentation by using a posttest and return demonstration. The education modality was
appropriate for the identified population as evidenced by every nurse scoring a 100% on the
posttest and being able to accurately perform a return demonstration.
o Uses information technologies and other appropriate methods to enhance one’s own
knowledge base
Prior to developing a presentation on HAPI prevention strategies, I had to perform
research to learn about best practice recommendations and how to use products available on the
unit. I utilized peer reviewed journal articles, manufactures guides, and hospital policies to
develop and enhance my personal knowledge base. I accessed these resources through Old
Dominion’s Library and Bon Secours’ Online employee resource database.
• Research
o Shares research findings with colleagues
 I performed research on HAPI prevention strategies and best practice standards in efforts
to find ways to decrease HAPI rates. I organized my research into a presentation and shared it
with my colleagues via a professional slideshow presentation.
• Leadership
o Assumes a leadership role within one’s own scope of practice as a designer, manager,
and coordinator of health care to meet the special needs of vulnerable populations in a
variety of practice settings
Patients in the ICU are a vulnerable population due to critical conditions and
circumstances that inhibit mobility and ability to verbalize needs. As a result, pressure injuries
occur more frequently in the ICU compared to other units. I took on the leadership role of a
nurse educator in my workplace to design, manage, and coordinate a teaching intervention
focused on HAPI prevention.
• Critical Thinking
o Revises actions and goals based on evidence rather than conjecture
Initially, I was going to create a teaching intervention providing information about
pressure injuries and how they occur. I performed a needs assessment to identify the learning
needs of my audience. The evidence of the needs assessment revealed that my coworkers were
educated in how pressure injuries occur but were unfamiliar with all the pressure injury products
available on our unit and how to use them. I revised my initial teaching plan based on the
evidence I collected through the needs assessment.