ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW SUBMITTED TO:

Transcription

1 ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW SUBMITTED TO: OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND ANALYSIS JUNE 2012

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Glossary Overview I. Mission and Purpose of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing...10 II. Accreditation III. Instruction A. Undergraduate Programs B. Graduate Programs...33 C. Overview of Faculty...62 IV. Research and Scholarship.. 65 V. Service.. 74 VI. Other Program Goals.. 80 VII. Strengths and Opportunities that Support Achievement of Program Goal..87 VIII. Weaknesses and Threats that Impede Program Progress IX. Resource Analysis X. Major Findings and Recommendations APPENDICES: Mission and purpose of the program Appendix I-A: Congruence of College and University Mission and Philosophy Appendix I-B: College of Nursing Strategic Plan Appendix I-C: Richard Seel s 4-D model: Discover, Dream, Design and Destiny Appendix I-D: College of Nursing Philosophy Appendix I-E: Congruence of College and University Strategic Plans APPENDICES: Accreditation Appendix II-A: Recommendations from Academic Program Review 2005 APPENDICES: Instruction A. Undergraduate Programs 1 P a g e

3 Appendix III-A (1): CON Nursing Faculty Appendix III-A (2): Student Enrollment Appendix III-A (3): SPOT Scores: Course Satisfaction Appendix III-A (4): SPOT Scores: Quality of Instruction Appendix III-A (5): BSN Program Assessment Summary Appendix III-A (6): Academic Learning Compact Appendix III-A (7): Graduation Data for Baccalaureate Program (RN/BSN students) B. Graduate Programs Appendix III-B (1): National Certifying Bodies Appendix III-B (2): National Certification Pass Rates for MSN Students Appendix III-B (3): MSN Graduation Rates, Appendix III-B (4): MSN Program Assessment Plan Appendix III-B (5): EBI Exit Survey for Masters Students Appendix III-B (6): Supply-Demand Projections for Nurses Appendix III-B (7): AACN/EBI Masters Exit Survey Data Appendix III-B (8): American Nurses Credentialing Center Aggregate Data Report Appendix III-B (9): DNP Program Assessment Summary Appendix III-B (10): DNP Capstone Projects Appendix III-B (11): DNP EBI Exit Survey results Appendix III-B (12): PhD Program Assessment Appendix III-B (13): Graduation Rates for PhD Program C. Overview of Faculty Appendix III-C (1): Trends in Number of Faculty, Appendix III-C (2): Faculty Devoted to Instruction Appendix III-C (3): Faculty Diversity Appendix III-C (4): Programmatic and Instructional Proposals Appendix III-C (5): Faculty Salaries Appendix III-C (6): Salary Comparisons 2 P a g e

4 APPENDICES: Research and Scholarship Appendix IV-A (1): CON Faculty Research/Program/Service Proposals Appendix IV-A (2): Research Program Assessment Plan APPENDICES: Service Appendix V-A (1): Extramural Service Exemplars Appendix V-A (2): Faculty Service Assessment Plan APPENDIX: Resource Analysis Appendix IX-A: College of Nursing Budget Summary Analysis APPENDICES: Departmental Dashboard Indicators 3 P a g e

5 Glossary AACN American Association of Colleges of Nursing AANP American Academy of Nurse Practitioners ADFL Administrative & Financial Leadership ADHN Advanced Holistic Nursing AHN-BC Advanced Holistic Nursing Board Certified ALC Academic Learning Compact ANCC American Nurses Credentialing Center ANP Adult Nurse Practitioner ARNP Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education CNE Clinical Nurse Educator CNL Clinical Nurse Leader CON College of Nursing DDI Departmental Dashboard Indicators DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice DROP Deferred Retirement Option Plan EBI Educational Benchmarking Institute FNP Family Nurse Practitioner FTE Full-Time Enrolled GAAN Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need GNP Gerontological Nurse Practitioner HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration NCLEX National Council Licensure Exam NE Nurse Educator NIH National Institute of Health NINR National Institute of Nursing Research NP Nurse Practitioner SPOT Students Perception of Teaching SREB Southern Regional Education Board SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats PCORI Patient Centered Outcomes Research Initiative POS Plan of Study PSL Port St. Lucie TCC Treasure Coast Campus TEAS Test of Essential Academic Skills VC videoconferencing 4 P a g e

6 5 P a g e Academic Program Review Overview of the Document This document includes an overview of the college and the following sections: I. Mission and Purpose of the College, II. Accreditation, III. Instruction, IV. Research and Scholarship, V. Service, VI. Other Program Goals, VII. Strengths and Opportunities that Support Achievement of Goals, VIII. Weaknesses and Threats that Impede Program Progress, IX. Resource Analysis and X. Major Findings and Recommendations. Each section includes a discussion of the topic supplemented by tables where appropriate. Sections I, III, IV, V, and VI, include SWOT analyses. The Appendices provide supplemental and background information. OVERVIEW OF THE CHRISTINE E. LYNN COLLEGE OF NURSING The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has a rich and impressive history that continues to be written today. In just over 33 years, the College has grown from ten to approximately 1,500 students, expanded its programs to include baccalaureate through doctoral, moved from a division in the College of Social Science to a free-standing College, expanded offerings to three campuses, established eminent scholar chairs and professorships focused on advancing nursing knowledge, and created six major centers/institutes that provide the opportunity for research, education, and interprofessional collaboration. The College of Nursing, as an integral part of Florida Atlantic University, is committed to the pursuit of higher education grounded in the arts, sciences and humanities, and is a leader in nursing education and research focused on caring. The College is unique in this dedication to caring: advancing the science, practicing the art, studying its meaning and living caring day-today. The College defines nursing as nurturing the wholeness of person and environment through caring. This unique approach to nursing education is described in Living a Caring-Based Program (Boykin, 1994). Written by faculty and edited by the former dean Dr. Anne Boykin, this book describes how a commitment to caring guides all activities within the College. The College has established the first and only Archives of Caring scholarship in the world; it currently includes the works of prominent scholars in the field. FAU s nursing program is 33 years old. In December 1978, the Florida Board of Regents approved implementation of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree at Florida Atlantic University. Four local citizens contributed the up-front money to begin the program for which the state subsequently assumed support. Nursing began as a Division within the College of Social Science. The initial program began in 1979 as an RN-BS program. In June 1982, the State Board of Nursing approved the admission of generic BSN students for fall In 1988, the Division of Nursing began offering programs of study leading to a Master s degree, and in

7 1989 the Division of Nursing became a free-standing School of Nursing. In 1990 it was legislatively approved to become a College. In January 2002, the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS) program began, and in 2006 the Board of Governors granted permission for the College to replace the DNS with the PhD in Nursing. An accelerated BS track for second-degree students was introduced in In 2007 the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program was approved. Approximately 1,500 students are enrolled in the four programs within the College: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing (including Post MS Certificate), Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy, or as non-degree students. In fall 2011, the College enrolled 1,214 undergraduate students, 429 Master s students, 93 Doctoral students and eight unclassified students. The College has one of the largest graduate enrollments of any college of nursing in the state of Florida. The specialty tracks offered in the Master s program are: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult /Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Leader, Administrative and Financial Leadership, Advanced Holistic Nursing, and Nursing Education. The student body in the College of Nursing is very diverse. Over 50 % of the students are from underrepresented ethnic minority groups in nursing, and 12 % are male. The College currently offers courses and/or entire programs of study on three campuses. The programs offered at the three campuses are: Table 1 Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Programs by Campus Boca Raton Campus Davie Campus Treasure Coast Campus as of May 2012 Traditional BSN Program Accelerated BSN Program RN-BS Master s Program - o (all tracks) Doctor of Nursing Practice Doctor of Philosophy RN-BS Program * Master s Program FNP * RN-BS Program * Master s Program FNP, ANP, GNP * *Courses for the degree are available online and through videoconferencing. Live NP courses are available on the Treasure Coast campus. Not all courses for the degree are offered on-site at these campuses. Student enrollment in the CON has increased significantly over the past four years. Total enrollment has grown from 1,299 in Fall 2008 to 1,472 in Fall 2011, and Spring 2012 enrollment was 1,537. This shows a consistent trend of enrollment growth for the College of Nursing. The most significant increase was in doctoral enrollment from 53 in Fall 2009 to 81 in Fall This was due to the implementation of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The College of Nursing enrolls about 10% of all FAU graduate students. 6 P a g e

8 7 P a g e Table 2 Enrollment (Head Count) in the College of Nursing from Fall 2008-Fall 2011 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Pre Nursing Nursing RN-BS Master of Science DNP PhD * Total *Reliable data not reported Overall, the data showed an increase in MS degree production (+13) and a large increase in doctoral degree production (+19). The sharp increase in the doctoral degree production reflects the new DNP graduates. Measures of FTE/faculty and degree production/faculty show the pattern above with substantial increases at the doctoral level. Courses and entire programs are accessible through distance learning using online, videoconferencing and intensive course formats. The entire RN-BS and the Master s Program track in Administrative and Financial Leadership are available online. Core courses in the RN- BS and Master s programs are delivered through video conferencing to the three campuses. (The Port St. Lucie RN/BS program and the Nurse Practitioner tracks in the Master s program are transitioning to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute due to budgetary constraints). Both the DNP and PhD programs are offered through a unique combination of weekend classes and online instruction. In this way the programs are accessible to working nurses who live at a distance from the Boca Raton Campus. The College of Nursing has contracts with approximately130 healthcare agencies throughout southeastern Florida for clinical experiences for our undergraduate students and approximately 500 agencies for practicum experiences for our graduate students. Over the years, several hospitals have supported clinical faculty positions and partnered with the College to collaborate on nursing education, research and practice initiatives. The Dean holds quarterly meetings with nursing practice leaders called Dialogues with Colleagues. These dialogues are critical for communication and feedback with the healthcare community. Many generous benefactors have supported the College of Nursing. Specifically, Christine E. Lynn and her late husband, Eugene, have given many gifts to the College. Mrs. Lynn s continued support over more than two decades has allowed the College to enhance its programs, especially those focused on caring, gerontology and community outreach to the underserved. In October 2006, the new home of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing was dedicated. The building was made possible by a $10 million gift from Mrs. Lynn and was matched in full with state funding. The College s state-of-the-art facility is a green building, one of the few gold-rated LEED educational buildings in the United States, with design features that reflect the caring philosophy and feng shui concepts. The new facility, which positions the College to provide innovative leadership in nursing education, reflects Mrs. Lynn s belief in and

9 passion for nursing. In March 2009, Mrs. Lynn donated $600,000 to create a faculty enhancement fund. The fund provided opportunities to recognize faculty who consistently go above and beyond in supporting the mission and goals of the College. The College of Nursing has an excess of $15.5 million endowment supporting two eminent scholar chairs, three professorships, earmarked funds for nursing research and scholarships, and discretionary funds. One endowed professorship is yet to be filled. This endowment funding reflects the outreach and trust in the work of the faculty. In addition to endowed scholarships, the College has received a significant amount of scholarship, fellowship and traineeship funds from other sources to support its students. Approximately $1.1 million in scholarship awards were distributed in including: private scholarships, scholarships for disadvantaged students, the GAANN fellowship program supporting five PhD students, Advanced Nurse Traineeships of $98,443 and $184,875 in stipends for full-time doctoral students. In addition, the College has received $91,792 from the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students and the Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Program to support students. The Jonas Nurse Scholar Program supporting one graduate student will be awarded in Fall Dr. Marlaine Smith has served as Dean of the College of Nursing since July A cadre of 42 full-time and 16 part-time faculty fulfill the missions of the College through teaching, research and service. Faculty have been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for their contributions to nursing and the community. Approximately one dozen faculty have published highly regarded nursing books; several have research and education projects funded by NIH and HRSA; six are fellows in the American Academy of Nursing, six are fellows in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the National Academies of Practice, three are Fulbright Scholars and two have been designated Robert Wood Johnson fellows in the past. Faculty scholars are known for their work in transforming care environments, health equity, healthy aging, and holistic health. The College s Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship, headed by the Associate Dean for Nursing Research and Scholarship and staffed by a Statistician (Assistant Professor) and two Research Coordinators, is dedicated to supporting faculty research and developing faculty scholarship. The Office provides a full suite of pre- and post-award services to the entire faculty, including statistical support, maintenance of a research and funding database, administering competition for intramural funding for pilot studies, editing/consultation for manuscripts and grants preparation, and consultation for research program direction. The College has intensified its focus on research since 2004 when the Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship was established. Six centers and institutes within the College serve as vehicles for fulfillment of the College missions of teaching, research and service. The Christine E. Lynn Center for Caring focuses on humanizing health care through partnerships with community organizations. The College addresses the needs of the community by developing programs and initiatives related to aging and gerontology. The Anne Boykin Institute for the Advancement of Caring in Nursing will generate and nurture caring-based projects that have potential to transform healthcare in the 8 P a g e

10 local community and beyond. The Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center offers caregiver support, diagnostic services, and day care for those living with memory changes. The Diabetes Education and Research Center, funded by the Palm Health Foundation offers cutting edge care to those with or at-risk for diabetes through nurse managed interprofessional clinic. The Nursing Leadership Institute offers programs that support novice nurses transitions into practice and the growth of nurse leaders. The Initiative for Intentional Health supports programs related to holistic health and healing such as yoga, mindfulness meditation and tai chi. The College of Nursing is in the process of developing a Faculty Practice Plan that can further extend the reach and influence of these Centers to the community. More information about the College of Nursing can be obtained through its website at The College of Nursing does not have departments therefore evaluation data reflect program levels, undergraduate, master s and doctoral. Faculty often teach across programs; therefore, program results relate to the faculty as a whole. CON Program Review Data (Dashboard Data) and Assessment Reporting Plans and results are available for the years , , and Each program description ends with a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis for the College as a whole is in the final section of this report. Recommendations from the previous program review (2005) have been addressed where possible. 9 P a g e

11 I. A. Mission and Purpose of the Program As an integral part of Florida Atlantic University, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing (CON) is committed to the pursuit of higher education grounded in the arts, sciences and humanities. CON faculty support the University mission of research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching, and active engagement with its communities and the CON is dedicated to caring: advancing the science, studying the meaning, practicing the art, and living caring day-today. The congruence between the College of Nursing and University Mission and Philosophy are illustrated in Appendix I-A. In May 2010, the College created a new Strategic Plan (see Appendix I-B) which is congruent with the university strategic plan. In order to develop the College s strategic plan it was decided to use the process of Appreciative Inquiry. The approach was developed by Cooperrider and Srivasta (1987) and is based on the concept that organizations change in the direction in which they inquire ; those that appreciate what is best about them are more likely to build a future where the best is manifest. The approach came from Richard s Seel s work. There are four distinct phases to his 4-D model: Discover Dream, Design and Destiny. (Appendix I-C) The process began in the Spring and Summer 2009 with a consultant conducting interviews with members of the College s communities of interest to discover the best of what is in the College and their hopes and dreams for the future. These interviews were analyzed for themes, and another consultant guided the faculty in the dream phase to answer the question What might be possible? or What is the world calling for? This occurred during the Faculty Retreat on August 18, After the dream phase, groups were constituted to design or coconstruct the strategic plan, and finally the destiny phase focused on empowering, learning, adjusting, and improving the strategic plan. The College of Nursing s philosophy ( is consistent with FAU Values as recently articulated in the University Catalog (see Appendix I-D). This philosophy reflects the belief that nursing is a discipline of knowledge and a field of professional practice grounded in caring. The values of the faculty concerning the nature of Person, Environment, Nursing, and Learning guide the actions of the faculty. Caring is the central concept of the philosophy. Caring is studied and understood both as lived in the ordinariness of life and as a central domain of knowledge of the discipline of nursing. Persons are recognized as caring and uniquely connected with others and the environment. All interactions are opportunities to live caring. Caring is recognized as a central domain of nursing by the community of scholars within the discipline; therefore, as members of the discipline, the faculty perceive an obligation to study and advance the substantive knowledge of caring in nursing. The philosophy truly serves as a beacon to guide the College missions of teaching, research/creative work, and service. The College is internationally known for this strong caring philosophy and values. Several faculty, including the Dean, are renowned scholars in caring. National and international visitors come to the College to learn more about grounding educational, research, and service programs in caring. 10 P a g e

12 The CON mission, vision, philosophy and strategic plan are congruent with the university mission, vision, and strategic plan (see Appendix I-E). Florida Atlantic University Mission Florida Atlantic University is a multi-campus public research university that pursues excellence in its missions of research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching, and active engagement with its communities. Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Mission The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is dedicated to caring; advancing the science, studying the meaning, practicing the art, and living caring day-to-day. Florida Atlantic University Vision Florida Atlantic University aspires to be recognized as a university known for excellent and accessible undergraduate and graduate education, distinguished for the quality of its programs across multiple campuses and classified as a very high research institution that is internationally acclaimed for its contributions to creativity and research as well as its collaborations with regional partners. Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Vision Our vision is a world in which health and well-being are transformed locally, nationally, and globally through nursing grounded in caring. 11 P a g e

13 Table 3 Program Mission and Purpose SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses The philosophy and values of caring guide the missions, strategic goals and objectives of the College of Nursing. There is consistency between the University and College of Nursing mission, philosophy, and strategic goals and program objectives. The faculty recently developed a new strategic plan that will guide the future direction of the College. The faculty and administrators in the College of Nursing participate actively in the governance of the University. Faculty are actively engaged in the governance of the College of Nursing. There are opportunities for student engagement in the governance of the College. There are strong relationships with and commitment to the College of Nursing s communities of interest. A dynamic College of Nursing website provides updated information to communities of interest. Opportunities Threats Budget cuts force any unit to more clearly define and focus on priorities Recommendations Re-examine priorities to focus on what matters most Strengthen partnerships with community leaders to support achievement of strategic goals Encourage student nurse organization to improve participation in the College of Nursing Student participation on College of Nursing committees is inconsistent. The College five year plan was developed in 2010 before the FAU the FAU strategic plan. Budget cuts threaten the College s ability to enact strategic plan 12 P a g e

14 II. ACCREDITATION The programs of the College of Nursing are fully accredited with no deficiencies. Table 4 Institutional Accreditation INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITOR Southern Association of Colleges and Schools LAST REVIEW NEXT SCHEDULED (year) REVIEW (year) Table 5 Specialized Accreditation SPECIALIZED ACCREDITOR Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education LAST REVIEW (year) Baccalaureate: 2004 Master s: 2004 Doctor of Nursing Practice: 2010 NEXT SCHEDULED REVIEW (year) Baccalaureate: 2014 Master s: 2014 DNP: 2014 Findings from last review: In the spring of 2004, the CON was awarded full accreditation from CCNE for ten years with no areas of deficiency. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program was accredited for 5 years with no deficiencies. There were four recommendations from the 2005 Nursing Program Review (see Appendix II-A.) The first goal Implement and evaluate the new NCLEX plan has been implemented and has strengthened the undergraduate curriculum. Licensure pass rates have remained stable exceeding national pass rates. Goal 2 Secure additional administrative, faculty, and staff positions has been an ongoing challenge. The number of faculty has actually decreased. Faculty recruitment has been hampered by budgetary cutbacks beginning in 2008 and the loss of senior faculty to retirement and recruitment to other universities within and outside the state of Florida. Heavy losses will continue in the next 2-3 years for faculty as faculty retire. We are competing to recruit talented faculty in an environment with high salaries in practice settings, proprietary universities and competition within and outside the state. Since the last program review the College has increased the number of professional staff to assume the growing administrative work of the College. Staff positions have been created to support and expand the work of the Office of Research and Scholarship and Academic Programs. Full-time staff additions include two Research Coordinators, one Academic Coordinator and one Administrative Coordinator, two Information Technology Coordinators (one for computer applications and one database management), a receptionist for Student Services, a Program Assistant for the Doctoral Programs, Program Assistant for the Davie campus, and Academic 13 P a g e

15 Coordinator for the Port St. Lucie campus (who will not be continuing in due to budget cuts) and a Lab Coordinator/Simulation Specialist for the Casual Learning Area (learning lab). Additional staff have been critical in strengthening the student advisement process, supporting faculty research and grant submissions, and improving efficiency with technology. We have made great strides regarding Goal 3 to secure resources to support students and achieve research. The additional staff identified above have supported Goal 3. In the past year the College of Nursing has had increased research funding, with five large grants funded. We have met the fourth goal "Create innovative programs to respond to workforce issues and demands". A number of innovative programs have been created to meet the workforce needs including the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the accelerated option BS in nursing program for individuals with a degree in another field, the Clinical Nurse Leader track, the Emerging Leaders Track and the Novice Nurse Leadership Institute to build leadership in practicing nurses, and a Holistic Health graduate track endorsed for the next five years by the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. Major changes made since last review: Several new programs have been initiated: the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the second degree Accelerated Option BS Program, the Clinical Nurse Leader, Emerging Leader, and Advanced Holistic Nursing tracks in the Master s program and a Novice Nurse Leadership Institute. 14 P a g e

16 III. Instruction The nursing education programs offered at FAU address gaps in the health care system, as do the College's initiatives linking students to diverse and international populations. The College of Nursing has a history of pioneering leadership in caring-based education and having the first nursing education programs in the State of Florida fully endorsed at all levels by the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. A. Undergraduate Nursing Programs The following section of the report provides a comprehensive overview of the undergraduate nursing programs of the CON including information on program assessment and improvement, enrollment trends, student diversity, student perception of teaching and quality of advising. Finally, a summary of the undergraduate program with strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats will be presented. Introduction The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BS) degree is the critical first step for a career in professional nursing. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, recognizes the BS degree as the minimum educational requirement for professional nursing practice. Recommendations by AACN state that education has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nurse clinician, as it does for all healthcare providers. Nurses with BSN degrees are well-prepared to meet the demands placed on today's nurse. BSN nurses are valued for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. Nurse executives, federal agencies, the military, leading nursing organizations, health care foundations, magnet hospitals, and minority nurse advocacy groups all recognize the unique value that baccalaureate-prepared nurses bring to the practice setting. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing s baccalaureate program is approved by the Florida State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The College is a member of CCNE, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The baccalaureate program provides three routes to the BSN: the Traditional and Accelerated second-degree options as pre-licensure programs, and the RN to BSN completion program for licensed nurses with the associate degree. Graduates of the undergraduate program at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing are unparalleled in their skill at approaching caring from the perspective of patient-centered model; graduates are guided to live nursing as caring from the moment they enter our program. Our College is known internationally and nationally for our focus on caring and our graduates are sought for practice positions. The College of Nursing offers all nursing students access to a wide variety of educational and clinical experiences mentored by expert nursing faculty. Undergraduate nursing students 15 P a g e

17 have excellent access to a range of nursing situations with persons, families and communities across the life and from diverse cultures. Select clinical sites include: Boca Helping Hands, a mission to provide compassionate service through food and assistance programs to individuals, families, and children to instill dignity and break the cycle of dependence AD Henderson University School at FAU, a K-12 school with 692 students in which students work in the school nurse role Hospice by the Sea, a not-for-profit, community-based provider of hospice care, palliative care, caregiver support, bereavement counseling Miami Children s Hospital, with 289 pediatric and neonatal beds; the hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medical care from birth through adolescence Morse Life, providing comprehensive geriatric care and service in the spirit of Jewish traditions and values Redlands Christian Migrant Association, a day-care and pre-school for migrant workers of Palm Beach County South Florida State Hospital, a 355 bed psychiatric hospital providing long-term psychiatric care Pathways rehabilitation center In general, didactic courses in all tracks of the undergraduate program are taught by tenured or tenure-track faculty who are doctorally-prepared. Faculty who teach in any clinical course are prepared with a master s degree in nursing with a clinical focus on a population of interest in addition to significant clinical experience, or certification with a population of care [See Appendix III-A (1).] Many of our faculty are active in clinical practice increasing the clinical relevance of their teaching. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing BS in nursing degree prepares graduates to enter professional positions in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings with clients of all ages from diverse populations, or for advancement to a graduate degree program in nursing. Enrollment trends Enrollment in the pre-licensure programs at FAU is limited due to availability of clinical learning facilities and the availability of qualified faculty to maintain appropriate faculty-tostudent ratios in all clinical practice settings. Currently, the Traditional BS program enrolls 36 students annually while the Accelerated BS program enrolls 44 students annually. These numbers represent a steady increase in enrollment in the last six years. Many qualified applicants are turned away due to an insufficient number of faculty to support program expansion, For example in 2010, there were 490 applicants to the traditional program and 30 accepted. With additional funding for faculty, we will be able to increase student enrollment by an additional 50% in Although enrollment in the undergraduate program has increased since 2009, the traditional program enrollment declined temporarily in 2010 secondary to a decision to close the 16 P a g e

18 program on the Port St. Lucie Campus. After one year of lower than usual NCLEX pass results, we offered NCLEX preparation courses to improve program outcomes. However, after a second year of low NCLEX pass rates, a retrospective review of factors associated with those unsuccessful on the NCLEX was conducted. This review indicated that the unsuccessful NCLEX graduates were primarily students on a satellite campus. A databased decision was made to centralize the pre-license program on the Boca Raton campus. Overall, the traditional program enrollment increased from 25 new admissions in 2009 to 36 new students admitted in May 2012 [See Appendix III-A (2).] Both the Accelerated Option and RN-BS programs have experienced significant growth in the same time frame. Enrollment in the Accelerated program grew slightly from 37 to 44 new students admitted annually between 2009 and However, during that same timeframe, the RN-BS grew significantly from 25 students admitted in 2009 to 249 admitted in 2011, and 209 admitted in the first six months of This increase may be attributed to more aggressive recruiting at hospitals, career fairs, nursing meetings/conventions, and community/state colleges. As in the traditional program, numerous qualified applicants to the Accelerated program must be turned away each year despite the acute need for nurses in Florida and across the country. From 2008 to 2012, there were 425, 262, 490 and 358 applicants respectively and accepted each year. Expansion of the RN-BS program was feasible because students are licensed when admitted and do not require the small faculty to student ratio that is required in the clinical supervision of pre-license students. Curriculum The program consists of lower division, (general education and required pre-professional courses), and upper division nursing courses. Lower division course work may be completed at Florida Atlantic University, a state college, or another four-year institution. Students apply to the upper division traditional nursing program during the sophomore year to enroll in nursing course work in the summer semester between the sophomore and junior year. Admission is dependent upon completion of 60 semester hours, which include both FAU general education requirements and nursing prerequisites. The University and the College of Nursing adhere to the common prerequisites for nursing (Common Prerequisites Counseling Manual). Common Prerequisites must be the same within the State University System to facilitate efficient transfer among all 38 public Florida postsecondary institutions. Students must complete the prerequisite courses prior to being admitted to the upper-division major. Students who do not complete these prerequisites can be admitted to the University, but not to the upper-division major. A grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade. 17 P a g e

19 Table 6 Differences in Admissions Criteria and Program Length for BS Program Tracks GPA Traditional Program Accelerated BS Option RN-BS Program Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 Bachelor s degree with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA (as calculated by awarding institution). Post-baccalaureate classes are not included in this calculation Minimum GPA of 2.75 with Completion of 60 lower division college credits from an accredited institution or an Associate's degree program in nursing. Florida Common Prerequisites 60 Pre-Nursing requirements with a minimum grade of "C" Nursing pre-requisite courses completed with a grade of C or better Nursing pre-requisite courses completed with a grade of C or better Entrance exams Minimum "TEAS V" score of 74% Preference given to FAU pre-nursing students Minimum "TEAS V" score of 74% Program Credits 60 credits 55 credits 40 credits + 20 validated credits to: The outcome objectives of the Undergraduate Program are that the graduate will be able Unfold a personal journey of coming to know and care for self. Synthesize knowledge from the sciences, arts and humanities as a foundation for generalist practice in nursing. Use nursing theories and research to guide caring-based reflective nursing practice. Use multiple patters of knowing in responding critically and reflectively to calls within nursing situations in generalist nursing practice. Create caring responses guided by professional standards of practice. Demonstrate integrity and accountability in all situations. Practice nursing safely and ethically in generalist practice. Provide care for and with others with awareness of and respect for cultural differences. Use systematic inquiry to inform decision-making, create nursing responses, and evaluate outcomes. Demonstrate competence in using patient care technologies and information systems to promote well-being, facilitate decision-making and enhance collaboration. Use effective, professional, caring communication in written, verbal and digital formats. 18 P a g e

20 Promote well-being for persons and populations across the lifespan in a variety of settings. Create environments that nurture the wholeness of persons served. Improve quality and safety within complex environments for healthcare delivery. Participate in social and political activities that improve healthcare for all. Advocate for public policy that honors human dignity and health equity. Affect change through caring leadership to improve quality health outcomes for persons served. Collaborate with nurses and other healthcare professionals in providing care in complex healthcare systems. Care for the environment through stewardship of fiscal, material and natural resources. Engage in activities that contribute to development of the profession and self as professional. The Traditional BS program is 60 credit hours in five semesters providing learning experiences in a variety of clinical settings, including community health agencies, clinics, hospitals and homes. Nursing courses include classroom and laboratory activities correlated with 845 hours of supervised clinical practice experiences across the lifespan and in a range of venues including acute care, ambulatory, health promotion, and community or population care settings. High-fidelity simulated nursing situations are also integral educational tools in preparing students to enter the complex and evolving clinical arena. Students have the opportunity to analyze a variety of issues in professional nursing practice and health care. Clinical experiences occur in a range of settings throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties. Several main facilities serve as base sites for our students; students remain in their main clinical site for all medical-surgical and any available special population clinical experiences. Clinical groups of up to 12 students (maximum clinical group size as defined by the Florida Board of Nursing) are assigned by zip code. The clinical groups remain intact throughout the program building teams and facilitating collaborative learning. This clinical plan serves both our community partners and students as these long-term placements provide students the opportunity to be oriented to the facility and determine fit for the future employment options. In addition, students are assigned to clinical settings in the community and settings serving childbearing, childrearing, mental health, hospice, and gerontological populations, to name a few. The undergraduate program at FAU is uniquely designed to teach nursing from the nursing situation. All nursing knowledge is taught through the context of the nursing situation. With intention, we avoid teaching our students to view nursing expertise as objectification and quantification. The faculty of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing teach our students the cherished nursing ideals of presence, touch, relationship, knowing, and caring as foundational to practice. Our students are taught to respond to calls for nursing in practice. The call is described as an acknowledgement and affirmation of the person living caring in specific ways in the immediate situation. 19 P a g e