North Island College faculty created an evidence-based, active learning strategy to help create a realistic environment for nursing students learning clinical skills. Funding from the Western North-Western Region Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing allowed for faculty release time to evaluate this initiative. The researchers presented the project findings at the annual WNRCASN conference in Calgary in 2018, and published a peer-reviewed article on the project in January, 2019.
Project Dates: Fall 2016 – Fall 2018
Funding Amount: $5000 - WNRCASN Innovation in Education Award, 2016
Project Summary
Jan Meiers and Martha Russell, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) faculty, developed and implemented a semester long unfolding clinical case to provide a constructivist framework for teaching psychomotor skills in the nursing lab. This project introduces an unfolding case to support critical thinking and clinical decision making skills in student nurses. Throughout the semester, the unfolding case study utilizes a blend of live actors and human patient simulators as students learn to care for a patient with chronic health challenges through admission and hospitalization.
To evaluate this initiative, focus groups were conducted with students and faculty that revealed strong engagement with the unfolding case process. Student focus group members unanimously agreed that the unfolding case method should be used in all courses in the skills learning stream, as they felt the continuity provided by this approach supported skill retention. Students reported an increased confidence and familiarity in the clinical setting after completing the unfolding case course. Faculty commented the unfolding case approach “brought the material to life”, and that it provided an excellent foundation for students as they developed their clinical skills while providing a safe environment for students to learn. Faculty appreciated the method was well supported by evidence and they were excited to be part of the evolution of the course. Faculty who taught in both nursing lab and practice felt the unfolding case study pedagogy enhanced their experience as clinical instructors, and they were able to make strong connections between the two courses.
Research Team
Martha Russell
Lead Faculty
Project Outcomes
- Implementation of this evidence-informed pedagogy in all nursing lab courses to align with the NIC BSN concept-based curriculum
- Sharing of methods and resources with BSN partners at VIU, as well as sharing with educators at other sites across Canada
- Publication of a peer-reviewed scholarly article: Meiers, J., & Russell, M. (2019). An unfolding case study: Supporting contextual psychomotor skill development in novice nursing students. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 16(1). doi:10.1515/ijnes-2018-0013
- Presentation of the project at international, national, and regional nursing education conferences.