Departmental Assessment Update - Nursing and Dental Hygiene Report

Department: Nursing
Program: BS
Level: Undergraduate

1. List in detail your undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each degree/certificate offered.

Department of Nursing Program OutcomesBelow is table that gives the Department of Nursing SLOs. NOTE:  All program outcomes are cumulative expectations
Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing Program 
A.  Provider of CareDefinition:  Advocate and provide high quality care to improve and maintain the health of a diverse society.
1.   Engage in professional nursing practice as a generalist for individuals, families, groups and community in a variety of settings.
2.   Use critical thinking skills as a basis for making judgments for generalist nursing practice.
3.   Provide culturally competent nursing care.
B.  Coordinator of CareDefinition:  Direct, supervise and collaborate with others to organize care.
1.   Identify leadership and management concepts involved in professional nursing practice.
2.   Use beginning leadership and management skills to coordinate the delivery of quality nursing care.
3.   Collaborate with individuals, groups, communities, colleagues and interdisciplinary health members to coordinate the delivery of care.
 
C.  Member of a ProfessionDefinition:  Advancing the profession through lifelong learning, participating in professional organizations and practicing in a confident, competent, compassionate and accountable manner.
1.   Demonstrate accountability for generalist legal scope of practice, professional standards of practice and professional code of ethics.
2.   Identify professional organizations that improve nursing practice.
3.   Accept responsibility for lifelong learning.
D.  Knowledge DeveloperDefinition:  Develop culturally appropriate clinical knowledge by examining, processing and disseminating knowledge to improve and maintain the health of a diverse society.
1.   Use  information technologies to manage and process data, information and knowledge.
2.   Critically examine evidence-based sources and individual experience to make professional practice decisions.
3.   Identify generalist nursing practice problems amenable to research.
   
  Baccalaureate outcomes approved Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (1/13/00)Approved Evaluation Committee (1/31/00)Reviewed Department of Nursing (3/30/00) 

2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., department web page)?

The Student Learning Outcomes follow the curriculum model currently guiding the undergraduate program in nursing and are published in the self study reports to the accrediting bodies for nursing (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education - CCNE and National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission -NLNAC).  The SLOs are also the basis for tools used to evaluate the program.  In addition, the outcomes conform to the “Essentials of Baccalaureate Education” developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (1998). The SLOs are also stated with increasing complexity as a basis for both the MS and PhD degree curricula.

3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your curriculum produce the specific SLOs in your students?

The course objectives for all required courses are mapped to the SLOs and to the themes that support the current model guiding the undergraduate program curriculum.  Course objectives are also mapped to the AACN “Essentials of Baccalaureate Education” document.  Course objectives are evaluated by students and faculty rating the degree to which course objectives were met.

4. What specific methodologies were used to collect data? In developing your response, consider the following questions:

 The Department of Nursing has developed an evaluation plan that is reviewed each year.  The nature of the instruments and methods used has been modified over time with more use of electronic (computer) testing or surveys depending on the purpose of the evaluation.  The format of the evaluation plan conforms to the accrediting bodies of the nursing program. The grid reproduced below is the portion of the evaluation plan relating to the collection of data on student performance and evaluation by students of curriculum and the nursing program: Department of Nursing (DON) Calendar for Surveys and Forms Administered
DataFrequency of ReviewResults Reviewed by
NCLEX scores (National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam)Each semesterDepartment Chair (DC)Office of Student Services (OSS)Undergraduate Curriculum & Evaluation Committee (UCEC)
End of Semester Course Report(DON)Each semesterDC; follow up by Curriculum Evaluation Committee (CEC)
Student Course Evaluation(DON)Each semesterDC; follow up by CEC
CAFÉ(DON)Each semesterIndividual faculty, DC, Department Personnel Committee (DPC)
Achievement Tests (DON)à Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI)Each semesterDC, course faculty
HESI Assess Test(DON)Each semesterDC, course faculty, student     
Student Progression Survey(DON)Fall semesterDC, CEC
Clinical Agency Evaluation(DON)AnnuallyDC
Annual Committee Reports(DON)AnnuallyDC, DeanFollow up by DC/Dean 
End of Program - UG & Grad(Assoc Dean)Each semesterDean, Assoc Dean, DC. CEC, Stud Affairs
One Year Employer Survey(Assoc Dean)1x each year   Dean, Assoc Dean, DC. CEC
One Year Alumni (Assoc Dean)1x each yearDean, Assoc Dean, DC CEC
UG EmploymentSurvey(Assoc Dean)1x each semesterDean, Assoc Dean, DC, CEC
 

5. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?

 Student, faculty and consultant input of the curriculum and teaching methods based on data (student evaluations, faculty course reports, comparing national trends in teaching methods, etc.) have resulted in a change in the department’s approach to teaching with the support of the appointment of a director of faculty development.Teaching methodologies are in the process of being changed from a content oriented (teacher driven) to a competency/learner oriented pedagogy.  Workshops that address teaching methodology, curriculum, and research on how learning best occurs have been offered and the majority of faculty teaching undergraduate courses have attended.  The effort towards the statewide consortium curriculum has been the main mechanism for implementing this change of looking primarily at what and how the student learns rather than how much and what content can be covered.At the time the statewide consortium curriculum is implemented, the prerequisites for the degree programs will change. The curriculum plan as well as teaching methodology support has been developed including increased use of simulation and distance education methods. Courses for the new curriculum are now being developed. Student SLOs are being articulated with each course developed and are included in the syllabi.

6. Has the program developed learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

 

YES

7. Has the program published learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

 

YES

8. If so, please indicate how the program has published learning outcomes.

Program outcomes are published in the accreditation documents for the two accrediting bodies for nursing programs (American Association of Colleges of Nursing Accrediting body – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission –NLNAC).  Further, all nursing course objectives are written as measurable behavioral outcomes and are printed on all course syllabi. 

9. What evidence is used to determine achievement of student learning outcomes?

Besides the usual course criteria for grading, the Department of Nursing uses standardized national tests at the end of each clinical course and a comprehensive exam during the last semester before graduation that compares UH student’s learning outcomes with benchmarked schools of comparable size and type.  Currently the Department uses Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) computerized exams.  This company provides the student with a comprehensive profile of their results indicating how they compare with similar students across the nation as well as where their relative strengths and weaknesses are. Also, the HESI comprehensive exam is predictive for success on the NCLEX (registered nurse license exam) post graduation.  The Department of Nursing also collects NCLEX pass rates for graduates taking the license exam in Hawaii. Test results are provided by the State Board of Nursing. UH Nursing graduates consistently maintain a 90% or better first time pass rate on the NCLEX.

10. Who interprets the evidence?

HESI exam results are provided to the Department of Nursing, the course coordinators or faculty of record for a particular course, and the student receives their individual report.  The curriculum and evaluation committee also receives the results and is responsible for trending the data and interpreting for the purpose of curriculum improvement when needed. Faculty is available to go over individual student results especially if remediation is recommended.

11. What is the process of interpreting the evidence?

The kind of data, measures used, and individuals or offices responsible for collecting the data is reviewed each year by the Office of the Associate Dean, the Department chair, and Department staff.  The Curriculum and Evaluation Committee researches and recommends any changes in national testing agencies (i.e., HESI) for the purpose of benchmarking student learning. Data is collected for each of the measures specified.  Data is trended if appropriate. Results are reviewed and acted upon per the grid above.

12. Indicate the date of last program review.

 The last SONDH Program review was conducted in 2003 and the final report was received from the COPR team in 2004.