Professional role development for NP students: Innovative, evidence-based teaching strategies to facilitate role transition
Background: There is a current gap in faculty knowledge of active teaching/learning approaches to better prepare NP students for the professional challenges they will face in their advanced practice roles. Some educators have proposed that traditional teaching methods, such as the didactic lecture alone, may not be adequate to facilitate professional role development in students (Ferguson & Day, 2005). Transitioning from the role of RN to NP is extremely challenging for many students and must be supported and encouraged throughout graduate education by the integration of multiple teaching/earning activities to promote professional role development before entering NP practice. Benner’s (1984) Novice to Expert model provides a theoretical underpinning for educational objectives and learning assessments surrounding experiential learning principles. Benner proposed that students could gain information and skills without comprehension of how to apply the theoretical knowledge, and that the development of expertise as a professional is a dynamic process (Benner, 1984). Providing NP students multiple opportunities to actively engage in professional role development activities will reinforce concepts that may otherwise only be hypothetical to them during graduate education.
Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to inform NP faculty about innovative, evidence-based teaching/learning strategies to promote professional role development over the course of NP education.
Content Outline: Several evidenced-based approaches to engage NP students in active-learning role seminar situations will be presented, including: simulation, professional presentations, on-call exercises, community engagement activities, interprofessional scenarios, involvement in professional organizations, and evidenced-based program evaluations. Current evidence about debriefing and the facilitation of student-directed learning will be discussed.
Presentation Method: Podium presentation with multiple examples and qualitative student feedback data provided. Examples will engage interactive discussion about strategies for faculty to integrate innovative teaching methods into their NP programs.
Conclusions: After participation in this presentation, faculty will have multiple strategies to integrate active learning opportunities into NP programs to facilitate professional role development.