competency-based learning

Within the field of nursing education, there is a move toward competency-based learning. National professional organizations have outlined competencies that they believe are essential for nurses to demonstrate in a particular setting or nursing area. As a new faculty member, you have been asked to help develop a set of competencies and objectives for a content area, and then to develop a course of study that would allow students to move at their own pace to develop competency in the area. One way to help students develop competency is through the use of cases in which students apply knowledge to a given scenario.

Task:

A. Identify a nursing topic area to be the focus of this course of study (e.g., caring for the post-MI patient, caring for the patient with chronic respiratory disease, promoting health and decreasing risk in the community, working with homebound elderly diabetics, etc.).

B. Develop at least four competency statements based on national competencies and standards.

Note: You will need to use multiple professional organization competencies to be sure you address all relevant material. Be sure to identify where the competencies originate.

C. Develop at least five objectives for each competency statement.

D. Design a course of study for at least one of the identified competencies.

1. Use the GEM model for each new concept to be learned.

2. Design at least one nursing case in which students will apply knowledge of concepts.

3. Describe at least two different activities for each new concept, besides reading the text, that support competency-based education.

4. Design at least one associated clinical experience that allows students to apply what they are learning.