National League for Nursing Core Competencies and Objectives - Essay Example

? Core Competencies and Program Objectives I. Introduction Nursing curriculum relates to the integration of concepts of context and environment, personal/professional development, knowledge and science, teamwork, relationship-anchored care, and quality and safety. The overall objective of nursing program centers on graduating mature, expert learners in a manner that foster their self-determination, veracity, and ongoing development as persons. Course outcomes seek to shape of all learning experiences as per the nursing program, inclusive of proficiency of fundamental competencies pertinent to the course (National League for Nursing, 2010b). As such, the curriculum should be structured to deliver and foster synergy and persistence across the curriculum and yield to the assessment of program outcomes. II NLN Core Competencies and Program Outcomes for Graduates of Baccalaureate Programs NLN outlines four outcomes as demonstrating and mirroring mastery of essential core nursing practice competencies. The objective of nursing education for every nursing program can be grouped in four distinct outcomes: nurses ought to utilize their skills and knowledge to promote human flourishing for their patients, families, and communities at large. Furthermore, they should manifest sound nursing judgment, and should persistently persist in developing their professional identity. Finally, nurses ought to approach all issues and challenges in a spirit of inquiry (National League for Nursing, 2010a). The outlined components are envisaged to yield to core competency development. NLN six competencies entail: (a) allow learning; (b) assist in learner socialization and development; (c) utilize review and appraisal strategies; (d) engage in curriculum design and program result appraisals; (e) play the role of change agent and leader; (f) based on the role of nursing educator, seek quality enhancement (National League for Nursing, 2010a). The core competencies are admissible to in diverse levels across didactic and clinical course, programs of study, function performance, and practice settings. A. Human Flourishing Human flourishing relates to an effort to attain self-actualization and accomplishment within the context of a large group of people, each with a distinctive right to seek such efforts. This relates to the creation of pathways to execute the nurse’s distinct potential. This relates to the attainment of human prosperity as a life-long existential continuum of self-actualization and self-realization that perpetually continues to progress. The nurse should integrate the knowledge and skills learned to aid students, families, and the community at large to incessantly progress toward attainment of human capacities (National League for Nursing, 2010b). NLN Outcome/ competency for human flourishing The graduate of the nursing program evidently be a promoter for patients and families in ways that foster their self-determination, honesty, and continuous growth as human persons. As such, in mastering the art and science of nursing, the role of the nurse educator centre on aiding students establish core competencies to guarantee that the students can, subsequently, lead patients in looking past the clinical encounter, or the peculiarity in their health condition, and foster a re-assimilation of their experiences. Essential to attaining the program result of human flourishing details the strategic intertwining of progressively structured learning activities and the articulation of essential competencies throughout the nursing curriculum. A student can attain this outcome by learning activities that are pertinent and suitable to the program, and related courses. The notion of human flourishing is essentially a lived experience of contemporary nursing students, the fundamental concepts centering on human dignity, heat and illness, vulnerability, compassion, as well as cultural and ethnic diversity (Bjork & Kirkevold, 1999). This also involves capability to question standards of nursing standards in pursuit of enhancement of patient care outcomes. Assessment of student's knowledge/performance/behavior The cross-reference of the program outcome dwells on professional behaviors; communication, clinical decision making; collaboration; managing care; and, caring interventions. The nursing graduate should perceive the patient as the origin of control and completely partner in availing compassionate and comprehensive care grounded in respect for patient’s values, requirements, and wishes. B. Nursing Judgment Nursing judgment relates to the arena and processes of critical thinking, clinical judgment, and incorporation of the best evidence into practice, which nurses employ as they arrive at decisions. The nurse can be expected to render judgments in practice, validated with evidence that fuse nursing science and knowledge in the delivery of safe, excellent care, and that fosters the overall health of the clients, families, and communities, at large. Outcome: Safety The nurse should continuously reduce the possibility of harm to patients via system efficacy and individual performance. Outcome: Informatics The nurse should utilize information and technology as a means to communicate, handle knowledge, alleviate error, and participate in decision making. Assessment of student's knowledge/performance/behavior A student can achieve these outcomes by demonstrating competency in knowledge, especially of nursing and clinical skills critical to availing safe, proficient nursing care. All nursing graduates, irrespective of the educational level, should be facilitated to establish their professional identity. The student makes judgments in practice; support with evidence; incorporate nursing science into the delivery of care, excellent care that improves the health of patients within the family and community context (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010). The nurse should demonstrate the capability to question standards of nursing practice to enhance the outcomes of patient care. Investigate the evidence that underpins clinical nursing practices to confront the status quo, the underpinning postulations and avail fresh insights critical to enhancing the quality of care. C. Professional Identity Professional identity relates to the internalization of key values and viewpoints identified as central to the discipline of nursing. The nurse expresses his or her identity via actions that mirror integrity, a dedication to evidence-based nursing practice, coupled with loving care, advocacy, and secure, excellent care for different patients, families, and the community at large, and keenness to avail leadership in enhancing care. Professional identity: Outcome/competency The nurse should execute his or her role in a manner that mirror integrity, ethical practices, responsibility, and a progressing identity as a nurse dedicated to the provision of comprehensive, safe, evidence-based care, and advocacy to individuals, families, and the community. Outcome: Teamwork and collaboration The nurse should function effectively within the various nursing ad inter-professional teams, facilitate open communication, joint decision-making, and shared respect to attain quality care. Assessment of student's knowledge/performance/behavior The attainment of this outcome entails utilizing nursing process to evaluate the client’s and families in planning, execute, and appraise care to clients and families while functioning in line with the nursing practice. The student should demonstrate professional behavior in all spheres and development of leadership skills, inclusive of compassion, caring, and responsibility. D. Spirit of Inquiry Spirit of inquiry relates to the overriding sense of curiosity that enlightens learning and practice. Nurses should investigate the evidence that underpins clinical nursing practice to confront the status quo, probe the underpinning assumptions, and avail fresh insights to enhance to enhance the quality of care or the clients, families, and communities at large (Bjork & Kirkevold, 1999). The nursing graduate should act as a progressive scholar who adds to the establishment of the science of nursing practice by highlighting questions in urge of study of study, analyzing published research and utilizing all the accessible evidence as the background to suggest, invent, pioneer, or evidence-based explanations to clinical practice challenges. Spirit of inquiry is essentially adaptive and progressive and derives from the concepts of quality and safety; knowledge; quality and safety (National League for Nursing, 2010b). NLN spirit of inquiry: Outcome/ Competency The nursing graduate should examine the evidence that underpins practice so as to confront/dispel the status quo by probing the underpinning postulations, and availing fresh insights to enhance the quality of patient care. Outcome: Quality improvement The nursing graduate will employ the data or monitor the results of care processes, and utilize enhancement methods to structure and test changes so as to enhance the quality and safety of healthcare systems. Assessment of student's knowledge/performance/behavior The nursing graduate should be capable of employing current research evidence and technology within the provision of nursing care. The attainment of this outcome relates to demonstrating capability to read and think critically, and synthesize fresh information in a logical manner. The nurse should contribute as a scholar to the furtherance of science of nursing practice by highlighting questions necessitating a study, critiquing published research, utilizing available evidence as the basis for nursing practice, and echoing personal practice (National League for Nursing, 2010b). III Importance of competencies, criteria, and assessment of learning in the curriculum A competency-based nursing education model can be praised for effectiveness in connecting the needs for the workforce with the educational learning, highlighting the student’s educational needs rather than what the faculty perceives the sudden should be aware of and enabling the student to dictate the pace of the program. The model utilized by NLN in structuring curriculum can be praised for: comprehensiveness; inclusiveness; thoroughly tested and supported; and, provision of sufficient opportunity for investigation (Sullivan, Hirst & Cronenwett, 2009). Competencies, criteria, and assessment of learning in the curriculum of pre-licensure nursing program are critical in enabling the student to gain confidence, enhance the decision-making capabilities, and critical thinking. The use of competence, criteria and appraisal graduate nursing students is central provision of equal opportunity, enhancing prior learning, provision of opportunities for self study, and enabling them to practice in a safe environment (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010). The benefits derived from competencies, criteria, and assessment of learning includes: aiding in the delivery of safe care that adequately satisfies cultural and developmental attributes. IV Conclusion The healthcare delivery system has overtime changed significantly in pursuit of a safer healthcare system. As such, the graduate nurse’s role remains elevated to embrace fostering healthy lifestyles via health education, continuous community partnerships, and health sponsorship strategies. Consequently, graduate nurses should practice in line with the ideals, principles, and benchmarks of professional nursing practice; and, employ critical thinking skills to avail an all-inclusive, compassionate evidence-based nursing care across lifetime and amid the field of healthcare settings. References Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating nurses: A call for radical transformation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Bjork, I. T. & Kirkevold, M. (1999). Issues in nurses’ practical skill development in the clinical setting. Journal of nursing care quality, 14 (1): 72-84. Little, M. A. & Milliken, P. J. (). Practising what we preach: Balncing teaching and clinical practice competencies. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 4 (1): 1-14. National League for Nursing. (2010a). NLN education competencies model. Retrieved from: www.nln.org/facultyprograms/competencies/pdf/comp_model_final.pdf National League for Nursing. (2010b). Outcomes and competencies for graduates of practical/vocational, diploma, associate degree, baccalaureate, master’s, practice doctorate, and research doctorate programs in nursing. New York, NY: National League for Nursing. Sullivan, D. T., Hirst, D. & Cronenwett, L. (2009). Assessing quality and safety competencies of graudating prelicensure nursing students. Nurs Outlook, 57 (6): 323-31. Read More