Online Family Nurse Practitioner Program: Using Problem-based Learning and Imbedded Technology in the Virtual Classroom

Nursing education has experienced significant growth in the use of online education and many institutions are using a blended format of asynchronous and face to face modalities.  One of the main concerns for faulty has been the clinical component of undergraduate and graduate nursing courses and how the online component can be used effectively.   According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) accreditation standards, faculty must be able to show quantitatively and qualitatively how programs meet the standards.  The Alliance for Nursing Accreditation Statement on Distance Education Policies recognizes the growth of online nursing education and states that faculty must continue to meet high levels of quality as is done on the face to face campuses.  Student outcomes must be measured as it pertains to both course and program assessment. 

Given the fact that online education is becoming more widely used it has become essential that faculty research methods of teaching strategies in the online environment that focus on bridging the gap between the online course and the clinical precepted experience.  Effective online facilitation requires the development of sustainable and effective online communication structures among faculty, students and the clinical preceptor.

This presentation will outline the strategies that faculty have developed and implemented in the virtual learning environment based upon the theories of adult and experiential learning and problem-based learning.  Clinical competence and readiness was attained through the use of case based vignettes that took the place of typical discussion questions.  Imbedded technology that provided the ability to interact with the patient and see and hear abnormalities was also used to augment the student’s learning experience.  Finally, faculty will present the communication structure put into place to increase the communication among faculty, students and preceptors that was used instead of face to face site visits.