Accreditation Self-Study

Transcription

1 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER Accreditation Self-Study for BSN Program Submitted to: The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) August 8, 2014

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS (VOLUME I) STANDARD I: PROGRAM QUALITY: MISSION AND GOVERNANCE Table 1.1 University and College Mission, Vision & Goals Statements and BSN Program Outcomes... 8 Table 1.2 Comparison between BSN Essentials & BSN Program Outcomes Table 1.3 College of Nursing Standing Committees Table 1.4 Special Committees (AD HOC) Table 1.5 Participation of Faculty in University Governance: UTHSC Standing Senate Committees Table 1.6 Current Faculty Participation in UTHSC Special Committees Table 1.7 Current Student Participation in University Committees STANDARD II: PROGRAM QUALITY: INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT AND RESOURCES Table 2.1 Comparison of UTHSC Faculty Salary by Academic Rank and AACN Salary Percentiles Table 2.2 Usage Data for the Library STANDARD III: PROGRAM QUALITY: CURRICULUM, TEACHING-LEARNING PRACTICES AND INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Table 3.1 Relationship between the College of Nursing Mission and Philosophy and BSN Program Outcomes Table 3.2 Relationship between the BSN Essentials and BSN Program Outcomes Table 3.3 Relationship between the BSN Essentials and the BSN Nursing Curriculum Table 3.4 Use of Course Evaluation Data in BSN Course Revisions/Improvements STANDARD IV: PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS: AGGREGATE STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Table 4.1 Faculty Grant Funding by Year Table 4.2 Faculty Refereed and Invited Presentations by Academic Year Table 4.3 Faculty Journal Articles and Other Publications by Year

3 APPENDICES UT System Organizational Chart... A UTHSC Organizational Chart... B CON Organizational Chart... C Master Evaluation Plan... D Faculty Scholarship... E Faculty Activities Data Collection and Performance Planning Forms... F Nursing Student Government Association Constitution... G Selected Clinical Affiliations... H Faculty Profiles... I College of Nursing BSN Teaching List... J BSN Course Descriptions and Outcomes... K BSN Essentials Mapped with Courses... L Skills Mapping... M BSN Curricula... N 2

4 WEBLINKS LISTED: Academic Calendar Faculty Resource Center: Archives Off Campus Access to Online Library Content American Association of Colleges of Nursing Arizona Bioethics Network UTHSC Catalog UTHSC CenterScope UTHSC Faculty Handbook CON Homepage CON Faculty and Staff page Student Academic Support Services Services for Students with Disabilities Educational Technology

5 Institution Overview The University of Tennessee (UT) is comprised of four main campuses: Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, and Memphis where the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) home campus is located. A twenty-four member Board of Trustees governs the University of Tennessee. The Board has delegated administrative authority to the president, who exercises this authority through a staff of chancellors and vice presidents (UT System Organizational Model, Appendix A). The Chancellor at the UTHSC serves in a dual role as chief executive officer for the UTHSC and its statewide programs and is responsible for coordinating the education, training, research, and service of the health professions across the state (UTHSC Health Science Center Organizational Model, Appendix B). Established in 1911, UTHSC comprises six colleges Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions (formerly Allied Health), Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. For purposes of accreditation, the UTHSC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) as a component of The University of Tennessee. As a matter of record, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the University of Tennessee at Memphis (later renamed the University of Tennessee Health Science Center; UTHSC) merged in Prior to this date, the University of Tennessee was accredited by SACSCOC from 1897 to 2000; the University of Tennessee at Memphis (UTHSC) was separately accredited by SACSCOC from 1972 to The UTHSC is authorized by the University of Tennessee, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and by SACSCOC to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. In addition, each of the professional programs is also accredited by the representative accrediting agency for the profession as appropriate. Methodist Healthcare- University Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Children s Hospital, Regional One Health, Memphis Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), and St. Jude Children s Research Hospital are the principal teaching hospitals for UTHSC in the Shelby County (Memphis) area. St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville will serve as a clinical site as of the fall 2014 term. Currently there are 2,832 students enrolled at UTHSC. Four undergraduate and 30 graduate or professional degrees are offered at UTHSC. With more than 50 endowed professorships, including 19 Chairs of Excellence, the campus is home to three Centers of Excellence in neuroscience, molecular resources, and pharmacokinetics and therapeutics. As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the UTHSC is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. College of Nursing Overview and History The UTHSC College of Nursing (CON) has been a leader in nursing education for more than 100 years. The CON began as the Memphis City Hospital Training School for Nurses and was the first continuing school of nursing in Tennessee, the first nursing school chartered by the state, and one of the first nursing programs in the southern region. In 1950, the university established one of the early baccalaureate nursing programs in the country. In 1972, a Master of Science degree with nursing majors was initiated, and the degree was changed to a Master of Science in Nursing in The CON is well known for having one of the early nurse practitioner programs in the country. The Dean of the CON is the chief administrative officer for the college. The Office of Academic and Student Affairs, and the two departments, the Department of Advanced Practice and Doctoral Studies and the BSN/MSN Department, serve as the administrative bases for educational programs within the CON (UTHSC College of Nursing Organizational Chart, Appendix C). The CON is devoted to enhancing the quality of healthcare in our community and beyond. Toward that goal the CON offers the following programs: a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), a master of science degree in nursing (MSN) with preparation as a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), 4

6 and a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree. A doctor of philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Science is offered in conjunction with the College of Graduate Health Sciences. The BSN program was reactivated in fall 2013, admitting a cohort of 50 pre-licensure and seven RN to BSN students. The BSN program is seeking initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and will host an evaluation site visit September 29-October 1, The Master s Program is accredited by CCNE until The BSN program has initial approval and the MSN program has full approval of the Tennessee Board of Nursing (TBN). In 1997, the decision was made to develop and implement the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc) program which was the precursor to our current DNP program. The DNSc program was subsequently established in 1999 as the first of a new era of practice doctorate programs. In response to national trends, the DNSc program was redesigned in 2005 as a DNP program. The DNP program received initial accreditation from CCNE in 2009 and 10 years of reaccreditation in Students currently pursuing a DNP degree focus their studies in one of the following concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Students in the DNP program may also pursue a dual concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Family Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. In August 2014 the CON will admit the first cohort to the post-apn Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certificate program that was developed in response to the needs of our hospital partners. In keeping with our mission To prepare Nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the mid-south region and the nation, over the past ten years the CON faculty have been heavily involved in strategic planning that has focused on the development of academic programs that are responsive to the needs of our community. The CON s 2010 strategic long-term plan also answered the American Association of Colleges of Nursing s (AACN s) call to transition all advance practice nursing (APN) programs to the DNP by By 2010 we admitted all advanced practice students to the DNP. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Science has been offered through the UTHSC College of Graduate Health Sciences since The dual DNP/PhD program provides select, highly qualified students with an integrated advanced practice clinical and research plan of study. 5

7 Standard I Program Quality: Mission and Governance The mission, goals, and expected program outcomes are congruent with those of the parent institution, reflect professional nursing standards and guidelines, and consider the needs and expectations of the community of interest. Policies of the parent institution and nursing program clearly support the program s mission, goals, and expected outcomes. The faculty and students of the program are involved in the governance of the program and in the ongoing efforts to improve program quality. I-A. The mission, goals, and expected program outcomes are: congruent with those of the parent institution; and consistent with relevant professional nursing standards and guidelines for the preparation of nursing professionals. Elaboration: The program s mission statement, goals, and expected program outcomes are written and accessible to current and prospective students, faculty, and other constituents. Program outcomes include student outcomes, faculty outcomes, and other outcomes identified by the program. A mission statement may relate to all nursing programs offered by the nursing unit or specific programs may have separate mission statements. Program goals are clearly differentiated by level when multiple degree/certificate programs exist. Student outcomes may be expressed as competencies, objectives, benchmarks, or other terminology congruent with institutional and program norms. The program identifies the professional nursing standards and guidelines it uses. CCNE requires, as appropriate, the following professional nursing standards and guidelines: The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice [American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2008]; The Essentials of Master s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011); The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006); and Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs [National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education (NTF), 2012]. A program may select additional standards and guidelines. A program preparing students for certification incorporates professional standards and guidelines appropriate to the role/area of education. An APRN education program (degree or certificate) prepares students for one of the four APRN roles and in at least one population focus, in accordance with the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification and Education (July 2008). PROGRAM RESPONSE: UT Health Science Center Mission Statement: The mission of the UTHSC is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. 6

8 CON Mission Statement: The mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing is to prepare nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation through education, research, clinical practice, and public service. CON Vision Statement: To serve as the leading state resource and as a national nursing resource to transform the nursing profession and improve human health through education, research, clinical practice, and public service. College of Nursing Values: Our values represent who we are regardless of changes in our environment. We value: A culture that creates, supports, and promotes innovation while honoring our traditions; A sense of community and teamwork within the college, with our colleagues, and with our strategic partners; A community that enhances scholarship and promotes diversity; Professional and personal accountability; Respectful, open, and transparent communication and collaboration; Professional and intellectual integrity, and; Shared respect for faculty and staff contributions. College of Nursing Goals Excellence in Academic Programs to Meet Existing and Future Needs Enhance Student Access and Success Position the CON for Success in Research and Scholarship Integrated Faculty Practice Strategically Leverage Effective & Efficient Use of Resources Increase Visibility by Strategic Community Engagement College of Nursing BSN Outcomes The CON BSN program outcomes define the graduate of the program as one who will: 1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. 2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. 3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. 4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. 5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. 6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. 7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. 7

9 The mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the BSN program reflect current trends in nursing education, the nursing profession, and the health care delivery system. They are congruent with those of the university and consistent with The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice [American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2008]. Table 1.1 provides a comparison of the two mission statements and selected BSN program outcomes. Table 1.1 University and College Mission, Vision & Goals Statements and BSN Program Outcomes UTHSC Mission Statement to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education. Research..by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service CON Mission, Vision & Goals Statements To prepare nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation through education, Provide educational programs that are responsive to the current and projected workforce needs of our constituents Excellence in academic programs To prepare nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation through research Position the CON for Success in Research and Scholarship BSN Program Outcomes #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care Public Service by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation through public service. Increase Visibility by Strategic Community Engagement #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice 8

10 Clinical Care by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service To prepare nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation through clinical care Integrated Faculty Practice #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice The BSN program admits pre-licensure students and students who are registered nurses who have graduated from an accredited diploma or associate degree program. The BSN curriculum builds on a foundation of liberal education including the arts, humanities, and physical and natural sciences. Additionally the BSN curricula for registered nurses builds on the knowledge and skills acquired through their diploma or associate degree in nursing education. The BSN program outcomes are aligned with The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008) as shown in Table 1.2 below. 9

11 Table 1.2 Comparisons between BSN Essentials and BSN Program Outcomes BSN Essentials BSN Program Outcomes #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. I. Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. II. Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. III. Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice IV. Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. 10

12 V. Health Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. VI. Interprofessional Collaboration and Communication for Improving Healthcare Environments #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Critically analyze complex clinical situations and practice systems. VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. 11

13 #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. VIII. Professionalism and Professional Values #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. IX. Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patientcentered care. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. I-B. The mission, goals, and expected student outcomes are reviewed periodically and revised, as appropriate, to reflect: professional nursing standards and guidelines; and the needs and expectations of the community of interest. Elaboration: There is a defined process for periodic review and revision of program mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. The review process has been implemented and resultant action reflects professional nursing standards and guidelines. The community of interest is defined by the nursing unit. The needs and expectations of the community of interest are reflected in the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. Input from the community of interest is used to foster program improvement. 12

14 PROGRAM RESPONSE: The CON faculty and the dean review and revise the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes as determined by the Master Evaluation Plan (MEP) (Appendix D). Program revisions can occur as a result of assessment data and input from external and internal communities of interest. Review of the mission and philosophy takes place annually as required by the CON MEP. Each term, the Evaluation Committee meets to review assessment data from the previous term and refers information to the appropriate individuals or committees who make decisions for quality improvement based on the data. Recommendations and decisions are forwarded to appropriate individuals or committees for action. Review of BSN curriculum content takes place on an as needed basis by the BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee, and at least annually as specified in the MEP. The mission, goals, and expected student outcomes of the BSN program are reviewed on a regular basis. The MEP is used as a guide for systematically reviewing Program Quality, Institutional Commitment and Resources, Curriculum and Teaching-Learning Practices, and Program Effectiveness. Based on evaluation the mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the program are revised as appropriate to reflect the needs and expectations of communities of interest. Communities of Interest: The communities of interest for the CON include students, the health care delivery systems with which faculty and students interact, professional organizations at the local, state, regional and national levels, and the community in which the campus resides. Internal communities of interest include students, faculty, and the university at large. Faculty seek to be responsive to ways in which students best learn. As adult learners, BSN students tend to be goal-oriented, self-directed, and problem-centered. They are particularly helpful in providing faculty with feedback on how to better meet their learning needs. Students bring questions, concerns, and suggestions for change to the faculty and administration informally throughout the year and at the end of each term in formal faculty and course evaluations. Additionally, input is solicited from student representatives on the BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee and Nursing Student Government Association regarding ways to facilitate BSN student learning and achievement of outcomes. External communities of interest include healthcare delivery systems, professional organizations, alumni, and the community in which the CON resides. The CON has formal partnerships with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare System, Regional One Health and The Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Formal and informal meetings are held regularly with agency representatives to exchange ideas about quality nursing education that incorporate current practice changes and trends. Dialogue between representatives of academia and clinical practice improves understanding of the rapidly changing healthcare environment and the knowledge, skills, qualities, and attitudes needed for nurses to be effective in their roles. Recent dialogue centered on the interest of community clinical partners in the reactivation of the BSN program led the CON to reactivate the BSN program in The BSN program received initial approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing (TBN) at their fall meeting on November 30, A survey of local hospitals and meetings with local Chief Nursing Officers conducted in August and September 2012 supported the need for reactivation of the UTHSC BSN program. They confirmed the need for new Baccalaureate prepared nurses in their institutions as well as a particular need for their Associate Degree and Diploma prepared nurses to further their education through RN to BSN programs. There are five accredited Associate degree programs in Memphis and the surrounding area: Dyersburg Community College, Jackson State Community College, Southwest Tennessee Community College; Northwest Mississippi Community College; and East Arkansas Community College. The UTHSC CON has worked with these community colleges to plan seamless transitions for their registered nurse graduates who plan to pursue a BSN. The Tennessee Action Coalition, with support from the Tennessee Deans and Directors group, conducted a state-wide survey of RN to BSN 13

15 programs to determine capacity, program length and course offerings, educational modality (online, hybrid, traditional), and cost. Data from this survey supported the need for additional RN to BSN programs in the state. An online option for RN to BSN students will be offered in fall 2104 to meet national initiatives calling for seamless academic progression for nurses and supports local and state-wide assessments documenting enhanced career opportunities for diploma and associate degree nurses completing their BSN degree. In 2012, the CON conducted focus groups with RNs in local hospitals to determine interest in the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner concentration and to determine interest and need for a new Pediatric Nurse Practitioner concentration. There was also ongoing dialogue among faculty and clinical partners around development of a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner concentration and reactivation of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner concentration. Based on community interest and need, students were admitted to both of these DNP program concentrations as of fall The CON Community Advisory Council, composed of key individuals representing nursing and health care in the Memphis and surrounding area, meets semi-annually. Interactions among College of Nursing faculty and agency representatives provide a formal opportunity to exchange updates and information from both educational and service/practice arenas. The UTHSC CON Nursing Alumni Association Board of Directors meets with the dean, leadership team and selected faculty across programs twice per year. This group consists of diverse alumni representing various CON programs and a wide array of practice settings. Interactions with these alumni provides additional opportunities for dialogue regarding our nursing programs, needs of students and the college, nursing workforce needs, national trends, and discussion of priorities. I-C. Expected faculty outcomes are clearly identified by the nursing unit, are written and communicated to the faculty, and are congruent with institutional expectations. Elaboration: The nursing unit identifies expectations for faculty, whether in teaching, scholarship, service, practice, or other areas. Expected faculty outcomes are congruent with those of the parent institution. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The four missions of UTHSC are education, research, clinical care (e.g., clinical practice), and public service. These missions and faculty expectations by rank are described in the appointment and promotion for tenure and non-tenure track faculty positions policy in the UTHSC Faculty Handbook. Expected faculty outcomes in teaching, research and scholarly activities, clinical practice, and service (e.g., participation in university and college committees, community service, and participation in professional associations) are clearly identified by the CON and are congruent with the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. Examples of CON faculty outcomes for research/scholarship are provided in Appendix E. The faculty roles in teaching, research, clinical care, and service are clearly depicted in the UTHSC Faculty Handbook available online through a web browser window located at Roles and expectations are defined according to rank level. Faculty outcomes are reviewed annually, or more frequently, with department chairs (Faculty Activities Data Collection and Performance Planning Forms, Appendix F). Based on discussions held during the annual performance and planning reviews in the spring (or in the case of new faculty, at the time of hire), department chairs provide all full-time and part- 14

16 time faculty with a letter describing expectations, responsibilities, etc. for the upcoming year and defining the percent effort and goals in regard to teaching, research/scholarly activities, service, and clinical care/practice. Such letters are normally provided on or around July 1, the beginning of the new 12-month contract period/academic year. Salary information is provided after the university budget process has been concluded for that fiscal year. Information on benefits/overview of university policies are provided at a formal orientation program conducted by the UTHSC Human Resources department at the time of hire of all new faculty and staff in the university. Changes to benefits/new university rules are provided using a variety of campus communication strategies, including s, notices on UTHSC website, benefits fairs, training sessions, and direct mailing to employees homes. The UTHSC also offers new faculty orientation sessions twice per year that provide opportunities for highlighting benefits and relevant policies. Faculty members are introduced to their role and expectations by department chairs who take primary responsibility for mentoring new faculty. Each new faculty in the CON is assigned a mentor who meets informally with the new faculty to assure that the new member understands expectations and participates fully as a new faculty in the CON until they have a grasp of the mission, goals, and general operations of the CON. In addition, campus-wide new faculty orientation sessions are held twice per year by the UTHSC Office of Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs providing new faculty with information regarding resources available to faculty to foster their success as educators, clinicians, and researchers as well as information regarding promotion, tenure, annual performance reviews and planning of reviews. I-D. Faculty and students participate in program governance. Elaboration: Roles of the faculty and students in the governance of the program, including those involved in distance education, are clearly defined and promote participation. Nursing faculty are involved in the development, review, and revision of academic program policies. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Roles of the faculty and students in the governance of the BSN program are clearly defined in the CON Faculty Handbook, the CON Faculty Bylaws (available in resource room), and the constitution of the student organization of the CON (Appendix G). Faculty and students participate at all levels of the College and the campus-wide administration, holding key decision making positions. Faculty and students may be selected to participate on campus-wide task forces or committees. CON representative also serve (along with representatives from the other five colleges) as voting members of two formal campus governance committees: the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs and the Faculty Affairs Work Group which develop campus policies affecting faculty and students. Faculty and student participation in the governance of the program is meaningful and is facilitated by standing and Ad Hoc committees as set forth in the Bylaws of the CON. The Bylaws establish these committees as well as the rules and procedures for faculty and students to participate fully in the business of the College. Faculty and student participation in program governance is evident in minutes of the BSN/MSN Curriculum, the Admissions Committee, and the Progressions Committees. Faculty who are at a distance participate in governance of the programs via phone or webcam. All faculty with regular (full-time or parttime) appointments are members of The Faculty Committee of the CON. This organization meets regularly to propose, review or revise policies and curriculum recommendations, to foster communication within the College community, and to promote an environment of participation and shared governance within the CON. The CON Bylaws state that all full-time faculty (defined as 0.75 FTE) serve as voting members of the Faculty of the CON with eligibility to serve on committees. See Table 1.3 College of Nursing Standing 15

17 Committees and Table 1.4 Special Committees (AD HOC) below that demonstrate faculty participation in governance in the College of Nursing. Table 1.3 College of Nursing Standing Committees CON Standing Committee Faculty Faculty Committee Hallie Bensinger, Chair Stacy Emerson, Secretary College Promotion and Tenure Committee Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP, FAAN, FNP/GNP-BC (University Distinguished Professor) Patricia Cowan, PhD, RN (Professor) Donna Hathaway, PhD, RN, FAAN (University Distinguished Professor) J. Carolyn Graff, PhD, RN, FAAIDD (Professor) Margaret Thorman Hartig, PhD, FNP-BC, APN (Professor)* Tommie Norris, DNS, RN (Professor)** Susan B. Patton, DNSc, APN, PNP-BC (Professor) Mona Newsome Wicks, PhD, RN, FAAN (Professor)-Chair Note: *Indicates Interim Department Chair; **Associate Dean/Department Chair. Admission Committee Lisa Rinsdale AP & DS Dept Susan Patton AP & DS Dept Christie Cavallo BSN/MSN Dept Trina Barrett BSN/MSN Dept BSN Student: Pamichella Torres MSN Student: Joycelyn Green DNP Student: Mahmod Abdelghani Director for Student Affairs: Jamie Overton, Chair* Associate Dean/Chair of BSN/MSN Programs: Tommie Norris* Director of DNP Program: Irma Jordan* Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Patricia Cowan* * non-voting member Awards and Honors Mona Wicks DNP Program Trina Barrett BSN/MSN Programs Michael Carter PhD Program Director for Student Affairs: Jamie Overton, Chair Ad hoc student/alumni as appropriate to the award/honor Doctoral Curriculum Committee Jacqueline Burchum AP & DS Dept Carolyn Graff AP & DS Dept TBD AP & DS Dept Keevia Porter BSN/MSN Dept DNP Student: Keesha Reid Director of DNP Program: Irma Jordan, Chair Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Patricia Cowan* *non-voting member 16

18 BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee Alise Farrell BSN/MSN Dept Donna Hathaway AP & DS Dept Keevia Porter BSN/MSN Dept Jackie Sharp BSN/MSN Dept Sherry Webb BSN/MSN Dept MSN Student: Steven Wells BSN Student: Megan Traynom Associate Dean/Chair of BSN/MSN Programs: Tommie Norris* Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Patricia Cowan* *non-voting member Evaluation Committee Jacqueline Burchum DNP Program Kathy Putnam BSN/MSN Programs Carolyn Graff PhD Programs Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Patricia Cowan, Chair Director for Student Affairs: Jamie Overton Associate Dean/Chair of BSN/ MSN Programs: Tommie Norris Director of DNP Program: Irma Jordan Progression Committee Brenda Hill BSN/MSN Dept TBD AP & DS Dept Jami Smith BSN/MSN Dept Mona Wicks AP & DS Dept DNP Student: John Forrest Nicholson MSN Student: Megan Hunt BSN Student: Julia Peredo Director of Student Affairs: Jamie Overton, Chair* Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Patricia Cowan* Director of DNP Program: Irma Jordan* Associate Dean/Chair of BSN/ MSN Programs: Tommie Norris* *non-voting members Practice Committee Lisa Rinsdale, Chair Brenda Hill Irma Jordan Donna Lynch-Smith Bylaws Committee Hallie Bensinger, Chair Lisa Rinsdale Jami Smith Irma Jordan Nominating Committee Stacy Emerson, Chair AP & DS Dept Beth Tobey BSN/MSN Dept Carolyn Graff AP & DS Dept Executive Committee Membership composition determined by Dean of the College of Nursing Members include: Dean, Associate Deans, Assistant Dean, Program Directors, Director of Student Affairs, Chair of the Faculty Organization 17

19 Table 1.4 Special Committees (AD HOC) Special Committees (AD HOC) History and Archives Committee Margaret Newman Planning Committee PhD in Nursing Science Faculty Committee Cashdollar Distinguished Visiting Professor Committee Faculty Cheryl Stegbauer (Professor Emeritus) Dianne Greenhill (Professor Emeritus) Carolyn Graff Mona Wicks Carolyn Graff, PhD Program Director Wendy Likes, Interim Dean, Chair Michael Carter Patricia Cowan Margaret Hartig Donna Hathaway Wendy Likes Tommie Norris Cynthia Russell Mona Wicks Patricia Cowan Keevia Porter Community members Faculty membership on the UTHSC Faculty Senate and Senate sub-committees, as well as standing and special committees is provided in Tables 1.5 and

20 Table 1.5 Participation of Faculty in University Governance: UTHSC Standing Faculty Senate Committees Faculty Jackie Sharp Dwayne Accardo Lisa Rinsdale Susan Patton Jami Smith Stacy Emerson Hallie Bensinger Sherry Webb Faculty Senate Sub-Committee Budget and Benefits Committee Clinical Affairs Committee Legislative Resource Committee Executive Committee Computing and IT Committee Research Committee Faculty Affairs Committee Academic Affairs & Education Committee Table 1.6 Current Faculty Participation in UTHSC Campus-wide and Special Committees Faculty Jacqueline Burchum Christie Cavallo Patricia Cowan Stacy Emerson Alise Farrell Carolyn Graff Margaret Hartig Donna Hathaway Irma Jordan University Committees Library Committee Simulation Program Development Operations Team Committee on Academic and Student Affairs Institutional Effectiveness and Performance Simulation Program Development Leadership Team Simulation Program Development Operations Team Simulation Building Design Team Simulation Program Development Operations Team Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, Management Team College of Graduate Health Sciences, Graduate Studies Council College of Graduate Health Sciences, Program Roundtable Discussions (monthly meetings) Interprofessional Education Faculty Advisory Committee Outreach and Engagement Committee, UT (System) Institutional Review Board CGHS Curriculum Committee Simulation Program Development Operations Team 19

21 Wendy Likes Donna Lynch-Smith UTHSC Strategic Planning Committee SACSCOC Steering Committee Institutional Review Board Simulation Program Development Operations Team Crowe Historical Quadrangle Project Subcommittee Faculty Affairs Work Group (FAWG) Tommie Norris Susan Patton Melody Waller Mona Wicks General Education Subcommittee for the Institutional Effectiveness Committee IPE Faculty Advisory Committee Simulation Building Design Team Simulation Program Development Leadership Team Subcommittee on Evaluation and Assessment (SEA) GME Safety and Simulation Committee IPE Faculty Advisory Committee Simulation Program Development Operations Team Institutional Review Board Students are also actively engaged in university committees. See Table 1.7 for a list of CON student representatives on university committees in academic year Table 1.7 Current Student Participation in University Committees Student Representative Jeanie Tan Christopher (Cory) Wilbanks Maria Tucci Meagan Hunt Kyle Merritt Kelsey Starnes Ahmed El-Hamarna Lisa Dawson Jauclyn Green Christen (Tori) Payne Joshua Light University Committee Student Government Association Executive Committee Entertainment Committee Student Service Advisory Fitness Center Advisory Committee Enrollment Services/Bursar Advisory Committee Student Health Advisory Committee Community Service Student Computer/Technology Committee Student Assistance Committee Campus Improvement Fund Planning Committee Yearbook Committee Student Parking Appeals Committee 20

22 I-E. Documents and publications are accurate. A process is used to notify constituents about changes in documents and publications. Elaboration: References to the program s offerings, outcomes, accreditation/approval status, academic calendar, recruitment and admission policies, grading policies, degree/certificate completion requirements, tuition, and fees are accurate. Information regarding licensure and/or certification examinations for which graduates will be eligible is accurate. For APRN education programs, transcripts or other official documentation specify the APRN role and population focus of the graduate. If a program chooses to publicly disclose its CCNE accreditation status, the program uses either of the following statements: The (baccalaureate degree in nursing/master's degree in nursing/doctor of Nursing Practice and/or post-graduate APRN certificate) at (institution) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, The (baccalaureate degree in nursing/master's degree in nursing/doctor of Nursing Practice and/or post-graduate APRN certificate) at (institution) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ( PROGRAM RESPONSE: Documents and publications accurately reflect the BSN programs offerings, outcomes, accreditation/approval status, academic calendars, admission policies, grading policies, degree completion requirements, and tuition and fees. Information about the CON can be found on the website at in the university catalog ( ), CenterScope (UTHSC student handbook) on the website at and college documents including brochures, and recruiting materials that are published online and in hard copy. Information regarding the BSN program listed in university and CON documents is accurate and congruent. The CON Master Evaluation Plan (MEP) charges various individuals and committees with reviewing and revising university and CON materials. The dean, associate dean for academic affairs, and the director of student affairs examine the nursing related sections of the following documents, and publications that describe the CON academic programs. UTHSC Catalog - UTHSC Student Handbook (CenterScope) UTHSC College of Nursing Website College of Nursing brochures All publications are accessible. The UTHSC Catalog and the UTHSC student handbook CenterScope are accessible online. If policies are changed, students receive the information verbally and in writing via by the appropriate CON administrator. The university website is very extensive and includes pertinent information for prospective and current students, faculty and staff. Information contained in this site includes a description of UTHSC academic programs, the Catalog, CenterScope, general information, and faculty. Both the Catalog and CenterScope are reviewed and updated twice annually (expect in instances where there is a mandated change to a campus-wide or system policy in which case the CenterScope is revised more frequently). 21

23 The website is monitored and updated on an ongoing basis to accurately reflect programs and other pertinent information about the university. Each college is required, at a minimum, to conduct an extensive review of its website annually prior to the beginning of the academic year to ensure the accuracy of the information available to the public. I-F. Academic policies of the parent institution and the nursing program are congruent and support achievement of the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. These policies are: fair and equitable; published and accessible; and reviewed and revised as necessary to foster program improvement. Elaboration: Academic policies include, but are not limited to, those related to student recruitment, admission, retention, and progression. Policies are written and communicated to relevant constituencies. Policies are implemented consistently. Differences between the nursing program policies and those of the parent institution are identified and support achievement of the program s mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. A defined process exists by which policies are regularly reviewed. Policy review occurs and revisions are made as needed. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Academic policies of UTHSC and the BSN programs are congruent. Policies governing all academic programs across UTHSC are found in the UTHSC catalog and general policies governing student behavior and activities are provided in the CenterScope, both of which are available online. All UTHSC policies related to academic, faculty, and student affairs that are not included in either the catalog or CenterScope are available on the UTHSC website at: All new students are oriented at the beginning of their programs regarding the expectation that they access the university student handbook (CenterScope) and catalog, and become knowledgeable about its contents. Policies specific to the BSN nursing program (and all programs offered at UTHSC) are contained in the UTHSC catalog. The CON s BSN program policies establish the admission, retention, progression, and graduation requirements for nursing students. These policies are contained in the UTHSC catalog. Policies are reviewed on a regular basis according to the CON MEP and updated as changes become necessary. University and CON policies are applied to all students fairly and equally regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, or religious preference. During the academic years, the CON approved a Bylaws change regarding the responsibilities and function of the Progressions Committee. The Progression Committee became a policy committee, rather than serving as an appeals committee for student dismissals. Thus, student dismissal appeals were made directly to the dean, in order to facilitate the progressions process. In fall 2012, after consulting with the UTHSC vice chancellor for academic, student, and faculty affairs, the CON Progression Committee proposed and implemented a hearing by the Progression Committee as part of the student appeals process. 22

24 STANDARD I. STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, & ACTION PLAN STRENGTHS: Strong alignment between the University of Tennessee Health Science Center s mission, philosophy and strategic goals and those of the College of Nursing Multiple venues for input from communities of interest Substantial university commitment, including funding, for the simulation center building and programs Active engagement of faculty and students in decision-making through representation on university and college committees CHALLENGES: Maintaining accuracy of CON website, publications, brochures, and other printed material ACTION PLAN: In fall 2013, an Educational Coordinator with IT experience was hired to maintain the CON website and to assist faculty with integration of technology into their courses In August 2014, an integrated content management system for the website was implemented, with the CON being given greater access to and responsibility for maintaining their own websites thus enabling more rapid updates Brochure templates have been developed in conjunction with the Office of Marketing and Communications to facilitate the CON updating and printing brochures and marketing materials 23

25 Standard II Program Quality: Institutional Commitment and Resources The parent institution demonstrates ongoing commitment to and support for the nursing program. The institution makes resources available to enable the program to achieve its mission, goals, and expected outcomes. The faculty, as a resource of the program, enable the achievement of the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes. II-A. Fiscal and physical resources are sufficient to enable the program to fulfill its mission, goals, and expected outcomes. Adequacy of resources is reviewed periodically and resources are modified as needed. Elaboration: The budget enables achievement of the program s mission, goals, and expected outcomes. The budget also supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program. Compensation of nursing unit personnel supports recruitment and retention of qualified faculty and staff. Physical space is sufficient and configured in ways that enable the program to achieve its mission, goals, and expected outcomes. Equipment and supplies (e.g., computing, laboratory, and teaching-learning) are sufficient to achieve the program s mission, goals, and expected outcomes). A defined process is used for regular review of the adequacy of the program s fiscal and physical resources. Review of fiscal and physical resources occurs and improvements are made as appropriate. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Fiscal and physical resources are sufficient to enable the college to fulfill its mission, goals and expected outcomes. Adequacy of resources is reviewed periodically according to the CON MEP. Fiscal Resources: Tennessee, like many other states, has experienced a budget crisis that impacted higher education. The resultant decreases in state support for higher education resulted in budgetary reductions in all of the colleges of nursing in the University of Tennessee system (UT Knoxville, UT Chattanooga, UT Martin & UTHSC), and required the college to manage our resources while carefully prioritizing the investment of funds to fulfill the mission, goals, and outcomes of the BSN program. This budgetary crisis is slowly resolving at the state level; however, our college now has an ongoing process of budgetary review to see how we can operate more efficiently while maintaining quality programs. Prior to re-establishing the BSN program a budget that included three new faculty positions and funding for adjunct faculty, approximately $10, for faculty development and a position for an education specialist was approved by university administration. All of these positions have been filled. Nursing faculty have the opportunity to propose budget items through the department chairs who are members of the executive committee. The dean, with input from the executive committee, develops the CON s strategic plan that includes goals and objectives, plans of action, and resources required to carry out the strategic plan. The CON budget includes sufficient resources for salaries, materials and equipment, faculty and curricular development, and facilities. The university budget includes resources for general support and recruitment. The dean, in collaboration with the assistant dean for administration and finance of the CON, has overall responsibility for the preparation and administration of the college budget. Major capital expenditures are negotiated with the chancellor and vice chancellor for finance operations. The budget 24

26 process at UTHSC is initiated in the spring of each year by the chancellor with a request to colleges to submit their annual budgetary proposal. The dean submits budget requests for the CON to the chancellor and vice chancellor for finance and operations. Each of the college deans has an opportunity to justify budgetary needs for the respective colleges. The chancellor determines the final budget for UTHSC and submits the request to the president of the University of Tennessee system who forwards it to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees for final approval prior to being submitted to the Office of the Governor for consideration and funding allocation. The UTHSC CON has made major improvements in faculty compensation. In 2009 faculty salaries were at the 25th percentile for AACN Academic Health Science Centers. Over the past five years the average faculty salary for rank has risen to be at or slightly below the 50th percentile for AACN Academic Health Science Centers. (See Table 2.1 below). Table 2.1 Comparison of UTHSC Faculty Salary by Academic Rank and AACN Salary Percentiles Percentage Average UTHSC CON Faculty Salaries Average 50 th Percentile Over/Under AACN 50th Percentile Faculty Rank * $ % Instructor Non-doctoral 77,614 72, % Assistant Professor (all)** 91,368 90, % Assistant Professor (w/o CRNA)** 89,170 90, % Associate Professor (all)** 108, , % Associate Professor (w/o CRNA)** 108, , % Professor 137, , % * Reference: Salaries of Instructional and Administrative Nursing Faculty in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, Table 33, page 40. ** Assistant and Associate Professor rank shown with and without CRNA faculty salaries since it had an effect on the percentages. Office Space: The UTHSC College of Nursing occupies ~21,400 sq. feet of space spread over 3 floors in the 920 Madison Building on the UTHSC campus (in Memphis). The 5 th floor provides approximately 6,675 square feet of space which includes 15 furnished offices for faculty, staff, and PhD students, two conference rooms, eight clinical instruction rooms, two classrooms, a general purpose room, two research exam rooms, a research reception area, storage space, two employee kitchens, and five restrooms. The 9 th floor houses faculty and staff devoted to the education/scholarship/research mission in 5,085 square feet of newly renovated space. The space includes 25 furnished offices for faculty and staff, two conference rooms, a general purpose room, an employee kitchen, a catering kitchen, and four restrooms within the CON suite. The 10 th floor space provides an additional 9,697 square feet with five restrooms, three conference rooms, 30 furnished offices for faculty and staff in addition to the dean s suite, a work room, a file room, a storage room, an employee kitchen, and a catering kitchen. The largest conference room is a technology-enhanced room with a Polycom unit for remote video conferencing and a computerized smartboard in place of the usual whiteboard. The entire CON space has wireless internet access in addition to Ethernet. 25

27 Classroom Space: The 209,000 square foot Humphreys Basic Medical Science General Education Building (GEB) consists of three sections with a three-story lecture wing containing 9 lecture halls and 21 conference rooms; a three-story laboratory wing with low bench, high bench and specialty labs; a study wing consisting of three floors dedicated to independent study; and a basement area for media preparation, a general store, administrative offices, and the campus Student Academic Support Services (SASS). The GEB is a 24 hour/7 day a week operation and, as such, attention has been paid to renewing the resource on an on-going basis. In addition to existing dual slide and VCR equipment in the lecture halls, a custom podium containing a Dell computer, a flat plate monitor, new LCD projectors and wireless microphones have recently been installed in each lecture hall. Many lecture halls are also outfitted with power and computer ports at each seat. Wireless networking services are provided throughout the facility. Media services are housed on the third floor in the GEB and provide assistance for faculty and students on the entire campus. The staff assists faculty and students by providing all hardware, as well as supervising use, maintenance, and operation of equipment. There are centralized support areas at the floor area of each lecture hall, which is of amphitheater construction accommodating large numbers of students. Staff members monitor three auditoriums and all conference rooms on the respective floors. These employees are available for immediate assistance during scheduled class time. Located on the second floor of the GEB is the microcomputer laboratory. This laboratory serves as an information technology access point for students, faculty, and staff. It is open seven days a week and provides free network access to all UTHSC computing resources, as well as use of over 80 personal computers, and three interactive video stations. Printing capabilities are available. In addition, the building houses two test centers for computerized exams, one with 50 seats and one with 99 seats. These centers are available to all colleges for testing purposes. During scheduled exam times, staff from Information Technology provide hardware support and staff from Education Technology provide software support to minimize disruptions during exams. In addition to new AV equipment, new tables and chairs were recently purchased for the conference rooms and the student lounge. Other enhancements over the past several years to the building include new seating in the lecture halls, upgrades to the heating and cooling systems, new lighting in each room and incorporation of sound attenuation materials to improve acoustics. Overall, campus administrators have made sure that the Humphrey s General Education Building remains ahead of the curve in providing a stateof-the-art facility for professional education. CON Support Staff: There are 18 full-time employees who currently provide support in the College of Nursing. Responsibilities of these individuals are to support the administrative, technical, and academic functions across the college. One individual is in a grant funded position, serving as coordinator for a funded Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) project. The coordinator continually monitors the goals and objectives of the grants and coordinates all grant-related activities. Clinical Laboratories: The College of Nursing has multiple learning labs that provide a variety of simulation learning experiences for nursing and other students who attend UTHSC. Housed within the GEB is the Helene Fuld Learning Resource Laboratory for Nursing. The laboratory is available to provide simulated learning experiences for students. This laboratory is a large rectangular room which contains ten main bay areas. Each bay contains a functional hospital bed or stretcher, working compressed air and suction, lights and head board with otoscope, BP apparatus, and ophthalmoscope. Beside each bed is a computer for the students to chart on their patients using the EMR 26

28 DocuCare. There are curtains that section off each bay. Each bed contains a mid-level fidelity manikin with programmable heart, lung and bowel sounds which add to the overall educational experience. Along with a variety of practice models there are: two computer stations for Virtual IV practice, critical thinking games, medication and emergency carts, IV smart pumps and various other computers and audiovisual equipment that enhance the student s learning. Along with a storage room there is a simulation suite set aside for the high fidelity manikin (Laerdal SimMan Essential) with Wi-Fi connections and a control room. This simulator offers the ability to provide simulation education to challenge and test students clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient care scenarios, allowing the instructor to be outside the room and make adjustments to the manikin as the case progresses. Along with a working Defibulator, it can be used to teach ECG recognition, as well as all the various ACLS algorithms while utilizing team dynamics. A Sim Man 3G, a wireless high fidelity male adult manikin with realistic features/responses provides easier creation of simulation scenarios. The Vital Sims are wireless and provide an opportunity for working with culturally diverse scenarios as Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian are represented. In wall and actual framed portable lifts for safe handling and incorporated into Skills I. Another clinical lab is located on the 5 th floor of the 920 Madison Ave. building. This area contains a large classroom that can seat about 50 students, six physical examination rooms with video recording capabilities, and a birthing/infant/pediatric suite. Students from nursing and other disciplines use the examination rooms to practice various aspects of physical examination as well as using simulated patients (live actors) to enhance their interviewing skills. The birthing/infant/pediatric suite contains two Noelles, one of which is a Gaumard Noelle advanced that speaks Spanish, provides fetal and contraction palpation, realistic birthing descent, and a birth canal as well as the ability to simulate normal, assisted, and breech deliveries. Other options for training in this suite include shoulder dystocia and postpartum hemorrhage, perinatal monitoring and maternal vital signs. There are three infants, an 8-month old and a 5-year old manikin in the room. These manikins have a variety of fidelity, from none to mid-level, which can be programmed to demonstrate various health conditions. Interprofessional Simulation Center: The Interprofessional Simulation Center (1) facilitates the integration and expansion of clinical simulation (encompassing the use of standardized patients/family members/colleagues, task trainers, high fidelity human patient simulators, or virtual reality simulations) into professional degree programs and residency training programs across the UTHSC; and (2) facilitates the development and implementation of interprofessional learning opportunities with the expressed purpose of bringing together learners from two or more health professions to increase mutual respect and understanding of their unique roles and perspectives, to enhance collaboration and communication, and to improve patient outcomes. The Interprofessional Simulation Center provides four dedicated simulation rooms (three of which are equipped with high fidelity manikins), three small group debriefing rooms, two control rooms, and a simulation prep and storage room. In addition, one floor below the Interprofessional Simulation Center is a dedicated training room (of approximately 850 square feet), designed to support skills training using multiple task trainers (e.g., central line trainers, Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support trainers). Plans are underway to build a new 45,000 square foot interprofessional simulation center adjacent to the GEB (anticipated construction to begin during the first quarter of 2015 and targeted completion prior to the beginning of academic year ). This facility will provide the CON students access to approximately 24 clinical exam rooms, a wide array of hospital environments (med-surg, OR, ER, OB), a home environment, and two physical assessment labs with much larger capacity, video recording capacity, and state-of-the-art equipment to support the nursing program. 27

29 Medical Education Research Institute (MERI) is an exemplary nonprofit teaching and training facility located less than 2 miles from the College of Nursing. A first-of-its-kind education, training, and research facility, the MERI s use of un-embalmed anatomical specimens offers a unique, invaluable and authentic hands-on experience. The MERI provides the amenities of a hospital operating room complete with access to all of the latest medical technologies as well as knowledgeable, capable, helpful support staff to meet educational needs. Students in the DNP program have scheduled experiences in the MERI lab. II-B. Academic support services are sufficient to ensure quality and are evaluated on a regular basis to meet program and student needs. Elaboration: Academic support services (e.g., library, technology, distance education support, research support, admission, and advising services) are adequate for students and faculty to meet program requirements and to achieve the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes. There is a defined process for regular review of the adequacy of the program s academic support services. Review of academic support services occurs and improvements are made as appropriate. PROGRAM RESPONSE: A variety of exceptional academic support services are more than sufficient to assist students and faculty to meet program requirements and to achieve the mission, goals, and expected student and faculty outcomes. Academic support services are reviewed on an ongoing basis according to the Master Evaluation Plan and improvements are made as appropriate. Library Resources: The Health Sciences Library and Biocommunications Center provides an environment conducive to student learning and the biomedical information resources necessary for teaching, research, service, and patient care and to support efforts to improve the health of Tennesseans. Located on 2 nd to 5 th floors (approximately 40,000 square feet) in the Lamar Alexander Building, the library serves campus six colleges and programs. As a result of research and student surveys, the library began a comprehensive renovation in later 2013 as part of a detailed plan. During the renovation, study rooms, a computer lab, and essential services have been relocated to the 6 th floor of the Lamar Alexander Building. The funded renovation, with anticipated completion in 2014, will expand student study, learning, and information commons on the 5 th floor; expand study and learning space on other floors; provide new shelving for the print collection on the 4 th floor; and result in greater security and staff efficiency. The library maintains a local area network of Macintosh and Windows microcomputers for student, faculty, staff, and public use. The Health Sciences Library supports the instructional and research programs of UTHSC through a collection of journals, monographs, audiovisuals, online databases, electronic books, and multimedia. The library holds approximately 51 current print periodical titles, 7,079 electronic periodical titles, 41,411 monograph titles, and 119,597 volumes. There are 7,079 full-text journals. The library has 4,970 nursing volumes (i.e. print books and journals), 319 journal titles, 319 e-journal titles, 2,094 nursing book titles, 17 book titles via Stat!Ref Nursing, and 105 nursing videos. A catalog button on the library s home page provides access to the library s web-based catalog, course reserves, full-text journals, and the user s library record. The Popular Resources tab on the library s home ( page provides access to online databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, UpToDate, Joanna Briggs EBP, ClinicalKey and Tennessee Electronic Library to name just a few of the library s 44 databases, which are all accessible remotely from a home computer by users holding a valid UTHSC ID. Information about off-campus access can be found under Off-Campus Help on the library s web page. 28

30 Library users may request photocopies of articles, interlibrary loans, and literature search assistance and consultation by accessing the library s home page. Librarians provide free literature searches for faculty. Photocopy machines and scanners are also available. Student study rooms are available and can be reserved for groups of three or more. Locked study carrels may be reserved for one month with renewal if there is not a waiting list. The Library Multimedia Laboratory (LML) is a centralized, computer-based, media resources room designed to provide academic information and instructional technology to support student learning. The LML stores the library s videotapes, videodiscs, slide shows, three-dimensional anatomical models, and multimedia programs. Additional resources include regularly scheduled orientations, classes, seminars, and workshops for faculty. Many courses incorporate lectures within the curriculum on how to use library resources. The embedded librarian program was successfully piloted in Fall Nursing faculty can have a medical librarian embedded in their course upon request. A networked Electronic Classroom, containing student and instructor Macintosh workstations and seating for 10, is used primarily for library instruction. Fact Sheets describing services, protocols for using library resources, short courses and seminars, and facilities are available in kiosks located in the main reading room and on the library s web site. Current information on the activities and services of the library is published in INFOnews, a newsletter distributed electronically three times a year. Recent improvements to the library space have resulted in significantly increased student use, with an average of 187,038 entries to the library every year. Therefore, the concept of the library as a place for students remains important and viable even as the need for certain physical print collections decreases. Completion of the renovations to the Health Sciences Library (and Alexander Building) in 2014 will provide increased space for student study, learning, and information commons on the 4th and 5th floors, and new shelving for the print collection on the 4th floor. The Health Sciences Library (and Alexander Building) is undergoing a comprehensive renovation as part of a detailed plan. The renovation began in late 2013 with completion anticipated in Plans call for the development of student study, learning, and information commons on the 4th and 5th floors, and new shelving for the print collection on the 4th floor. Assuring access to sufficient and current resources: The library in Memphis uses a variety of methods to insure that its resources are both available and adequate to meet the needs of faculty, staff and students regardless of geographic location. Since the library cannot afford to purchase or license every resource that is requested, it maintains a Wish List of items awaiting the availability of funding. The library's Collection Development Policy calls for periodic reviews of the print collection to insure that it conforms to the needs of UTHSC. When items are identified for removal, they are either transferred to the library's Historical Collections or discarded. The Library Resources Development Committee (LRDC) reviews the usage data for all electronic formats to determine how the e-books and e-journals are being used, identifies those that are not used sufficiently, and replaces poorly used resources with others that are on the wish list. The UTHSC also has a standing committee appointed through the Office of the Chancellor, the Library Advisory Committee (LAC), composed of representatives from each of the colleges. The LAC considers matters that concern the library and advises the library director of campus needs and trends. Minutes are recorded for these meetings and are available on the library's web page. The library also has a Library Liaison program, 29

31 in which each faculty librarian is assigned to a college or department. Services available through the library: Services and user assistance regardless of geographic location include reference services by phone, , and through the Ask a Librarian online chat interface as outlined on the Services tab of the library web site. Subject specialists are available for expert research consultations by appointment or drop in (on the Memphis campus specifically). Library instruction is offered for all colleges. Web-based research guides provide subject-specific lists of resources from the library's holdings. Interlibrary loan (ILL) obtains books and copies of articles from any library in the country for all faculty, staff, and students. Test Scoring Services are available to Memphis-based faculty using Scantron answer sheets. In such instances ParScore software allows library staff to provide instructors with item analysis, histograms, raw roster reports, percentiles, and class response. The library communicates directly to the campus by way of a newsletter that is published three times per year and distributed in PDF to all members of the UTHSC community. An ed weekly library tip contains short notices of new and old resources and announcements. The home page has a blog that contains announcements about resources and services. The library's Facebook page offers basic information about the library, such as contact information and hours of operation, but mainly serves to redirect users to the library's home page. The Facebook blog contains the same information as the library home page blog with the addition that blog entries are automatically sent out on Twitter. At the beginning of fall and spring terms, all incoming students participate in a new student orientation, during which Memphis-based librarians provide information concerning library collections, services, resources, and points of contacts. All students are provided information on the range of methods for contacting the library to request assistance, instruction, or to request a consultation. The library provides the following information during these orientation sessions: library's web site address with links to Ask a Librarian, local and toll-free telephone numbers, hours of operation as well as a location map with parking information. Such resource information includes links to popular resources such as the e-book and e-journal links, and links to instructional materials such as podcasts, tutorials, a 360-degree library tour, an instructional videotape, and links to online tutorials and resources materials. These materials include EndNote handouts and webinar materials provided by the National Network/Libraries of Medicine. These resources and services are also provided to all new faculty and staff through monthly orientations to the library. Additionally, Human Resources receives and distributes a calendar of instructional activities during all New Hire Orientations. Instructional activities related to biomedical and scientific database searching are scheduled and promoted to campus faculty, staff, and select student groups. The main vehicle for student instruction is through collaboration with campus faculty. Campus faculty are advised of liaison librarians within their colleges and departments that can be called upon to provide curriculum-integrated or embedded instruction. All colleges have access to an online link to request instructional services for students or departmental faculty. To support and enhance faculty and staff knowledge and precision in searching biomedical and scientific databases, workshops, seminars, and webcasts are scheduled and promoted. Offsite access to content is available in real-time or through provision of a link to archived material. Usage of library resources and services: The collections, resources, and services available are sufficient to support all the colleges of UTHSC. Supporting evidence is provided in the following ways: by documenting usage data studies, by periodic resource and service surveys of the UTHSC community. Usage data for the most current three academic years is represented in Table 2.2 below. 30

32 Table 2.2 Usage Data for the Library Total web site visits by AY 2014 * AY 2013*** AY 2012 Desktop site visits 261, , ,618 Page views 420, , ,021 Mobile site visits 21,034 10,946 2,634 Total database searches 196, ,408 NA Total off campus sessions 216, , ,817 Total Gate Count 83,156** 162, ,396 *Excludes June 2014 **Total Gate Count for AY2014 includes July-Dec.2013 only; no gate count Jan-June 2014 due to library renovation ***Excludes May and June 2013 PubMed and Up-to-date do not provide search statistics UTHSC has resources adequate to meet the educational, research, service, and clinical care needs of its faculty, staff, and students. Using a variety of strategies and approaches to acquire library materials and disseminate information for accessing these materials, librarians ensure that there are adequate resources for all degree programs and for all types of educational, research, service, and clinical care activities. As a strategic initiative to provide greater access to library resources both on and off-campus, library materials are acquired increasingly in electronic form. UTHSC provides services for students and faculty face-to-face and online, with information technology used to improve and enhance delivery of services. Effective processes monitor and assess the sufficiency of library collections, learning resources, and services; and UTHSC uses the results to enhance quality. Blackboard and Technology Support: Support for the learning environment is also provided by the university Educational Technology group which provides technical assistance and training for both students and faculty to enable them to use the various types of educational software that is supported by the campus. This includes Blackboard (our learning management system), Adobe Connect (for web conferencing), Mediasite (for point-to-point live conferencing and video archiving), ExamSoft (computerized testing), Turning Point (audience response software), CoursEval & Qualtrics (student feedback), etc. Educational Technology Resources for students, staff, and faculty can be accessed at: Efforts of the support staff in the GEB also contribute to the learning environment to include setting up laboratories, coordinating room schedules and maintaining the high tech classrooms that students have come to rely on. Major investments have been made on the Memphis campus in general and in the General Education Building specifically over the past two years. For example, power and computer ports are now available for all student seats in the large lecture halls to facilitate online and mobile student access to course materials. CON Research Support: The Office of Research and Grants Support (ORGS) is the central administrative office for managing proposal submissions, contract negotiation, award acceptance and research compliance 31

33 and ethics. Assistance with manuscript and grant editing and formatting is available through ORGS, as well as poster printing. Additionally, the College of Nursing has contracted with experts in grant and manuscript preparation to foster faculty scholarship. The university s Office of Research Administration reviews, negotiates and obtains signatures for Grants and Contracts, informs principal investigators of the terms and conditions of awards, and monitors final technical and invention reporting. This office also provides bridge funding, pilot funding, and external grant consultation. The university s Finance division provides post award administration and liaisons with college/department level post-award accounting personnel. Clinical Facilities: Memphis is known across the state and region as an excellent medical community. The CON holds contracts with all of the major hospitals and community agencies. There is also an abundance of quality clinical sites that represent all patient groups in the Memphis area. St. Jude Children s Research Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, and Regional One Health, are among the facilities that currently serve as clinical sites. Regional One Health is a comprehensive healthcare delivery system anchored by highly respected Centers of Excellence including trauma, burn, neonatal intensive care and high-risk obstetrics. In addition to its notable Centers of Excellence, the system provides an array of primary and specialty care services through its Health Loop and outpatient services. Methodist Le Bonheur Health Care System, an integrated healthcare delivery system based in Memphis and North Mississippi provides major clinical facilities. Methodist provides a continuum of care of acute care, primary care, extended care, home health and hospice. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare System has five centers of excellence: cardiology, oncology, neurosciences, women's services and pediatrics. Methodist Le Bonheur Health Care System operates Alliance Health Services and Minor Meds and Urgent Care Centers, and the following hospitals: Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Alliance Health Services, Inc. is a division of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare encompassing the not-forprofit companies: Methodist Alliance Home Health, Methodist Alliance Hospice & Palliative Services, and Methodist Alliance Home Medical Equipment. Alliance cares for an average daily census of over 600 patients covering the seven counties surrounding Memphis and north Mississippi. Alliance provides this full spectrum of home services to both children and adults. Methodist Alliance Hospice also has their 30 bed, free-standing Hospice Residence, located on Quince in Memphis to care for those at the end of life. Alliance Health Services is fully Medicare certified and accredited by CHAP. Minor Meds and Urgent Care Centers provide walk-in clinics for both children and adults and are located on Union in midtown, Germantown Parkway in Cordova, Winchester & Hacks Cross in Memphis, and on Goodman Road in Olive Branch. Methodist University Hospital is the largest, most comprehensive hospital in the Methodist Healthcare system. It is a 617-bed facility located in the heart of the Memphis Medical Center. This hospital is the major academic campus and principle teaching hospital of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. This partnership supports multidisciplinary collaboration among doctors and clinical team members, leading to more advanced medical care for patients. 32

34 Methodist Extended Care Hospital (MECH) is a 36-bed acute care hospital that treats long-term patients who are medically stable but require intense, regular medical attention. Patients get the acute care they need to ensure a smooth transition to home, skilled care, nursing home, rehabilitation facility, or home health care. MECH is located on the 4th and 5th floors of the Thomas Wing inside Methodist University Hospital. Methodist North Hospital is a 246-bed community hospital committed to providing personalized, compassionate and high-quality care to patients and families. Located in northeast Shelby County, Methodist North has been serving the residents of Raleigh/Bartlett, Frayser, Millington and Tipton County for over thirty years. Methodist South Hospital is a 156-bed community hospital committed to providing personalized, compassionate and high-quality care to patients and families. Located in Whitehaven, this hospital has been serving the residents of south Memphis and the surrounding area for over forty years. Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital is a nationally recognized, 309-bed, full service hospital located in a community setting. Also located on campus is the Women s and Children s Pavilion that offers obstetrical and pediatric services. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital is the first and only comprehensive pediatric medical center in Memphis and its surrounding region. Founded in 1952, Le Bonheur serves the needs of children from 95 counties across six states. It is the teaching site for the University of Tennessee Department of Pediatrics and home to the Children's Foundation Research Center of Memphis. Le Bonheur Children s Hospital is ranked in the top 25 hospitals in the nation for pediatric care. Methodist Fayette Hospital located just outside Memphis in Somerville, TN, is a 46-bed community hospital offering inpatient and outpatient services. Methodist Olive Branch Hospital is the newest hospital in the Methodist system, designed to care for the community of north Mississippi. The five-story, 100-bed hospital opened in 2013 and features an innovative, environmentally friendly design. The BSN program utilizes a wide range of facilities including in-patient and community settings such as schools, health departments, community centers, clinics, and hospitals. UTHSC College of Nursing currently has active contracts with more than 800 high quality, diverse clinical agencies across the country which includes 321 sites in Tennessee and 176 sites in the Memphis Metropolitan area. (Selected Clinical Affiliations, Appendix H ). Student Assistance Support Services (SASS): Academic support is provided primarily through the SASS, our Student Academic Support Services ( Services of SASS include assistance in time management, test-taking, reading efficiency, note-taking and note-using, information retention, organization for learning, and board preparation. SASS also maintains a library of review and board preparation books for student check-out, a 20-station computer lab, study area and lounge, and an audio/visual room as well as materials on learning strategies for student use. Equipment and strategies to accommodate different student learning styles through various approaches, resources and media are available in the SASS. The equipment includes variable speed tape recorders, a computer screen enlarger, a controlled reader, a Kurtzweil reading machine, a scanner, and a hearing enhancement system. SASS also provides a range of support services and accommodations for students with disabilities and coordinates tutorial services for all of the colleges. Students at off-site locations access SASS services through phone 33

35 and/or Skype appointments, by participating in live tutorial services using web conferencing and/or by accessing archived recordings of tutorial sessions. Beyond the academic support services provided through SASS, additional academic support is offered through other programs and services designed to address student and academic needs. For example, Office of Interprofessional Education and Clinical Simulation staff provide support for faculty and students to enrich the educational experience. Such training experiences are invaluable in preparing students to be effective practitioners, allowing them to experience a variety of clinical scenarios under 'safe' conditions with experienced faculty standing by to provide feedback. These settings are also used to enhance teamwork as many of the scenarios involve students from multiple colleges/disciplines to mirror the types of experiences that they will face as practicing health care providers. Opportunities for clinical simulation and interprofessional education will be further expanded when the new interprofessional simulation center referenced above is completed (anticipated completion prior to academic year ). Additionally, the Office of Alumni Affairs has hosted student workshops on such topics as Dining Etiquette and LinkedIn, as well as mixers, to foster networking and career development of students. Services for Students with Disabilities: Services and accommodations are coordinated through the Office of Student and Academic Support Services (SASS) for students with physical, learning, psychological and other disabilities. The nature and scope of these services is based upon the documented need of the student as it relates to the specific curricular expectations of individual courses, as well as those services that are needed to provide equal access to the educational experiences at UTHSC. Information on requesting and receiving accommodations can be found on the following website ( and in the CenterScope. Student Support Services: At UTHSC, most of the student support services report up through the Vice Chancellor for Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs. The Offices of Student Affairs is responsible for a number of these administrative units including those in Enrollment Services - Admissions, Financial Aid and Registrar along with Student Life. Banner, the Student Information System used across UTHSC, integrates virtually all aspects of the academic process for students, regardless of geographic location, from application, matriculation and registration to graduation and transcript production, and coordination of financial aid with student fee payments. A One Stop Shop for student services was established in January, 2013 on the Memphis campus with expert staff readily available in all of the major services commonly used by students in a single location - Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Bursar (and representatives from the parking services). In addition, the One Stop Shop is adjacent to the campus food court and the bookstore, creating a university common area on the Memphis campus for the first time. Support for students at a distance: The UTHSC is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of geographic location, have access to sufficient academic and student support services while enrolled in any of the programs offered through the institution. The manner by which UTHSC assures comparable services for its students at distant locations as well as for those who access course work online (including the students enrolled in the DNP program for all concentrations other than anesthesia) is as follows: Access to student services 1. All students can access Financial Aid services through weblinks, or by communicating with appropriate staff using , phone, and video-conferencing through Adobe Connect or Skype. Financial literacy sessions are provided face-to-face at regular intervals in Memphis with a video archive of live presentations available to students at other geographic locations; students with 34

36 additional questions can set up appointments by the , phone, and video-conferencing through Adobe Connect or Skype. 2. Bills are delivered on a secured web site provided by the online servicer Touchnet. Students can pay their bills electronically through this system using the self-service function of Banner (the UTHSC Student Information System) that links to Touchnet. 3. All students register for courses online through the self-service function of Banner using a secure login and password. 4. Staff in the Admissions Office are available to assist all students with their applications. The latter are available to all students electronically via a web-based process requiring a net ID and password (for some programs the initial application is provided as part of a Central Application System (CAS) for that discipline that allows students to apply to multiple locations with a single application. The latter is also an electronic process. Access to academic support 1. Educational technology support is available via or phone for all software related issues, regardless of location. 2. All students access their course materials electronically through Blackboard using a secure login and password. 3. IT services include a Helpdesk/ticketing system that can be accessed by phone or web site regardless of location. Personnel staff the Helpdesk Monday through Friday (8am-5pm CST). An automated phone message regarding outages/problems and the Footprints ticketing system is continuously available. 4. Academic support for issues related to time management, board preparation, test anxiety and study skills can be accessed by appointment with educational counselors in SASS by phone, webconferencing or Skype. SASS staff also manage requests for students at any location who require accommodations for identified disabilities. 5. Tutoring sessions, which are coordinated by SASS, can be accessed live through video-conferencing or by reviewing archived sessions. Access to health care 1. Arrangements for access to health care have been established for all students. All students are required to have health insurance -- either university-based or private (refer to CenterScope section on health services). 2. Behavioral health services are available to all students 24 hours per day/7 days per week via phone through the Student Assistance Program (SAP). Through SAP, students are referred to counselors in their region. 35

37 II-C. The chief nurse administrator: is a registered nurse (RN); holds a graduate degree in nursing; holds a doctoral degree if the nursing unit offers a graduate program in nursing; is academically and experientially qualified to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes; is vested with the administrative authority to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes; and provides effective leadership to the nursing unit in achieving its mission, goals, and expected program outcomes. Elaboration: The administrative authority of the chief nurse administrator is comparable to that of chief administrators of similar units in the institution. He or she consults, as appropriate, with faculty and other communities of interest to make decisions to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected programs outcomes. The chief nurse administrator is perceived by the communities of interest to be an effective leader of the nursing unit. The program provides a rationale and a plan to come into compliance if the chief nurse administrator does not hold a graduate degree in nursing and a doctoral degree (if applicable). PROGRAM RESPONSE: Dr. Wendy Likes assumed the role of interim dean of the College of Nursing on July 10, Her leadership experiences within the College of Nursing include serving as Associate Dean and Chair of the Advanced Practice & Doctoral Studies Department and as an Assistant Department Chair. Dr. Likes holds both practice (DNSc) and research doctorates in nursing (PhD). She is academically and experientially qualified to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected student and faculty outcomes. Dr. Likes is vested with the administrative authority to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected student and faculty outcomes. The dean represents the CON through regular interactions with the deans of all other colleges. She is the fiscal agent and has decision making authority for the budget and expenditures within the CON. Dr. Likes provides effective leadership to the nursing unit in achieving its mission, goals, and expected student and faculty outcomes. Dr. Likes CV can be viewed in the Resource Room and accessed on the CON website II-D. Faculty are: sufficient in number to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes; academically prepared for the areas in which they teach; and experientially prepared for the areas in which they teach. Elaboration: The full-time equivalency (FTE) of faculty involved in each program is clearly delineated, and the program provides to CCNE its formula for calculating FTEs. The overall faculty (whether fulltime or part-time) is sufficient in number and qualifications to achieve the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes. Faculty-to-student ratios ensure adequate supervision and evaluation and meet or exceed the requirements of regulatory agencies and professional nursing standards and guidelines. Faculty are academically prepared for the areas in which they teach. Academic preparation of faculty includes degree specialization, specialty coursework, or other preparation sufficient to address the major concepts included in courses they teach. Faculty teaching in the nursing program have a 36

38 graduate degree. The program provides a rationale for the use of any faculty who do not have a graduate degree. Faculty who are nurses hold current RN licensure. Faculty teaching in clinical/practicum courses are experienced in the clinical area of the course and maintain clinical expertise. Clinical expertise may be maintained through clinical practice or other avenues. Faculty teaching in advanced practice clinical courses meet certification and practice requirements as specified by the relevant regulatory and specialty bodies. Advanced practice nursing tracks are directly overseen by faculty who are nationally certified in that same population-focused area of practice in roles for which national certification is available. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Faculty are sufficient in number to accomplish the mission, goals and expected student outcomes of the BSN program. There are 36 qualified full-time and 5 regular part-time faculty in the College of Nursing. There are a total of 9.4 FTEs devoted to teaching in the BSN program. University administration supports planned growth in the CON as evidenced by approval of two doctoral faculty positions per year for FY2013-FY2017. In addition three doctoral faculty positions were posted in FY2013 and three doctoral faculty positions have been posted in FY2014. Faculty members are academically and experientially qualified to teach in the BSN program as required by CCNE and the Tennessee Board of Nursing, (CON Faculty Profiles, Appendix I). Nursing courses are taught and/or coordinated by faculty with graduate degrees in nursing. The college provides professional development opportunities to enable faculty to maintain currency. Faculty may engage in paid consulting (including reoccurring practice) up to 20% beyond their assigned UTHSC workload. This agreement enables faculty to maintain practice competency and certifications. Faculty CVs are available in the Resource Room and under the faculty/staff section of the CON website at All faculty members are on 12-month contracts with workload assignments modified based on the needs of the college. The associate dean for academic affairs, program directors and department chairs meet each spring to review workload needs and faculty resources for the upcoming academic year. Together they determine workload assignments based on the needs of the college while taking into account faculty expertise and preferences. In general, a full-time teaching assignment for faculty members in the BSN program is 32 credit hours per year. The BSN Program Teaching List is available in Appendix J. Faculty may have shared appointments, or time allotted for scholarship and service responsibilities resulting in a decrease in teaching workload. Faculty effort is determined based on the needs of the College and the faculty members goals each year during annual evaluations. All tenure track faculty must contribute to at least three missions of the University (scholarship, service, and practice) with teaching being one of the missions in which they have assigned work effort. Non-tenure track faculty primarily fulfill the missions of teaching and service. An example of tenure track faculty effort is 60% for teaching, 30% time designated for research or scholarship and 10% service (university, professional). One section of a 3-credit theory course equals approximately 10% effort depending on the number of students in the course. Thus a tenure track faculty member would teach approximately six 3-credit courses or sections of courses over the 12 month period. The complexity of the course and assignments, such as extensive written assignments, and online versus face-to-face/hybrid delivery format is also considered when assigning faculty workload. The formula is somewhat different for non-tenure track faculty who teach primarily clinical courses. Along with the other colleges at UTHSC, the CON piloted a new workload tool in to measure didactic teaching and will develop a tool to measure clinical teaching assignments. 37

39 II-E. Preceptors, when used by the program as an extension of faculty, are academically and experientially qualified for their role in assisting in the achievement of the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. Elaboration: The roles of preceptors with respect to teaching, supervision, and student evaluation are: clearly defined; congruent with the mission, goals, and expected student outcomes; and congruent with relevant professional nursing standards and guidelines. Preceptors have the expertise to support student achievement of expected outcomes. Preceptor performance expectations are clearly communicated to preceptors and are reviewed periodically. The program ensures preceptor performance meets expectations. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Preceptors and clinical teachers (located in Dedicated Education Units) serve as faculty extenders. Preceptors are clinical agency (practice partners ) personnel and are not compensated by the UTHSC. The roles of the faculty, students, and preceptors are clearly defined in the preceptor manual. Preceptors are used in one pre-licensure BSN course, NSG 419 Internship. Preceptors provide input for the evaluation of students; however, faculty are ultimately responsible for the evaluation of students performance. Faculty are typically assigned to a section of 10 students in NSG 419 Internship. Faculty work closely with the preceptor performing onsite visits with both the student and preceptor. Faculty provide preceptors with initial and ongoing orientation to the course including course and program outcomes, skills lists, syllabi, and the clinical evaluation instrument (Resource Room). Faculty are easily available to the student or preceptor during clinical rotations. Faculty also follow students progress through weekly journaling. Preceptors used in the baccalaureate programs are selected by the clinical agencies based on years of experience and completion of the required Preceptor course provided by the agency. Preceptors receive initial and ongoing orientation to the clinical course in which the student is enrolled including course and program outcomes, skills lists, syllabi, and the clinical evaluation instrument (Resource Room). Students have an opportunity to evaluate their preceptors at the end of the course. Students currently evaluate preceptors as part of the course evaluation. Students are instructed to discuss any concerns with their preceptor with the faculty at any time during the term. Beginning with the fall 2014 term, students will evaluate preceptors using a pencil-paper evaluation at the end of the term. This will be a quality improvement activity; we will develop a formal evaluation that will be completed by the student at the end of the course. II-F. The parent institution and program provide and support an environment that encourages faculty teaching, scholarship, service, and practice in keeping with the mission, goals, and expected faculty outcomes. Elaboration: Institutional support is available to promote faculty outcomes congruent with defined expectations of the faculty role and in support of the mission, goals, and expected faculty outcomes. For example: Faculty have opportunities for ongoing development in the scholarship of teaching. 38

40 If scholarship is an expected faculty outcome, the institution provides resources to support faculty scholarship. If practice is an expected faculty outcome, opportunities are provided for faculty to maintain practice competence, and institutional support ensures that currency in clinical practice is maintained for faculty in roles that require it. If service is an expected faculty outcome, expected service is clearly defined and supported. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Opportunities for ongoing development in pedagogy, and support of faculty activities in research/scholarship, practice and service are provided by the college and the university. The CON has a strong commitment to professional development as evidenced by a $59,000 average yearly expenditure for faculty development based on expenditures from FY2012 through FY2014. The CON supports an environment that encourages excellence in teaching, scholarship, practice, and service in multiple ways. Each year the CON invites a variety of distinguished visiting professors (DVPs) to campus. These DVPs are experts in various specialty areas who provide lectures describing their areas of research or practice that enlighten students and faculty as well as many attendees from the community. All faculty and students are invited to attend and faculty have a special time for interaction with the professor. Faculty may receive continuing education credit for lectures. Faculty teaching in the BSN program are registered for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Test Development and Item Writing course that prepares faculty to write NCLEX-style questions for the different cognitive levels. Faculty Teaching: The campus and the College of Nursing have embarked on several important initiatives over the last several years to improve teaching effectiveness. A virtual Faculty Resource Center was developed in 2009 to support teaching and learning on the campus ( The Office of Faculty Affairs, which mains this virtual Resource Center, sponsors monthly educational opportunities featuring educators journal clubs, training sessions, workshops, and distinguished lecturers. Special sessions are held regularly, and have covered such topics as simulations, building integrity in on-line education, podcasting, mobile resources, information literacy, audience response systems, and scholarship. These session topics clearly support faculty development in the area of distance education. A calendar listing of opportunities can be accessed at Materials from these sessions are archived at UTHSC has institutional memberships to several organizations that support faculty teaching. These include the Online Learning Consortium (formerly the Sloan-C), the Team-based Learning Consortium, EDUCAUSE, and the International Association of Medical Science Educators. Faculty in the BSN program are embarking on several workshops to prepare them to transition from excellent classroom teachers in a face-to-face delivery format to online delivery. The first workshop was conducted during the 2014 Annual Retreat. During the summer of 2014, the Office of Faculty Affairs provided an educational specialist to train faculty, assist in course development, and provide ongoing support within their online courses. Additionally the CON has an educational specialist who is training and assisting faculty in the use of technology to enhance pedagogical approaches to online and classroom instruction. Both group workshops and 1:1 peer mentoring sessions are ongoing. Faculty Research/Scholarship: The CON Office of Research and Grant Support (ORGS) provides support services to faculty for development and submission of grants and scholarly publications. This office offers guidance and also maintains research and writing resources and monitors and distributes information about 39

41 faculty development and funding sources. ORGS consults with faculty to promote dissemination of scholarly practice and to facilitate collaboration with community partners. In the summer of 2013 Elizabeth M. Tornquist, well known writing consultant, provided an all-day faculty workshop entitled Writing for Publication and subsequent one on one assistance for faculty to enhance their success in publishing manuscripts. The College of Nursing has contracted with Dr. Sandra Funk and Elizabeth M. Tornquist to provide grant and manuscript development and editorial assistance to faculty during the academic year. The UTHSC Office of Research Administration also supports grant activity by providing consultants, faculty development programs, and assistance with grant submissions, pilot funding, and seed grants. Faculty Practice: Faculty practice activities are a priority and a long-standing tradition for faculty members in the CON. Practice activities are foundational to our mission of preparing nurse leaders for excellence today and in the future. Faculty members serve as role models for students in areas of practice development, delivery and evaluation. Faculty may engage in paid consulting (including reoccurring practice) up to 20% beyond their assigned UTHSC workload. This practice time allows faculty to maintain their clinical certification and to stay abreast of evolving trends. Funds generated by practice are paid directly to the faculty member. We are currently revising our practice plan to integrate our education, practice, and research missions. Our practice plan will be revised and implemented in stages, in tandem with the revision of practice plans across the UTHSC. Stage 1, which involves faculty practice through external consultant agreements, has been implemented for the upcoming academic year. Faculty input will continue to be sought in the development of the long-term practice plan. The College is committed to developing a long-term practice plan that enables faculty to remain certified and current in their fields, while integrating our education, practice and research missions. Faculty Service: Public service/outreach is defined as participation in university and college committees, community service, and participation in professional associations. The university and CON provide an environment that supports faculty efforts in this mission. The expectation is that all full-time faculty will participate in some level of service and tenure track faculty will be engaged in service to the profession. CON faculty negotiate percentage of time allotted for service activity with their department chairs. The CON keeps faculty informed of opportunities for service to the local community and to professional organizations. 40

42 STANDARD II. STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, & ACTION PLAN STRENGTHS: Academic Support Services, especially technology services and university library resources including embedded librarian, available for faculty and students Enhanced faculty support for teaching online including group and one-on-one instruction by an educational specialist (Kristy Conger) with expertise in instructional design and technology and online education, an educational coordinator (Daniel McGarry) with technology expertise to assist faculty with integration of technology into their courses, and faculty peer experts (Dr. Burchum & Dr. Russell) in online teaching and learning Resources for Professional Development that support faculty teaching, scholarship, practice, and service Diverse mix of highly qualified faculty University support for additional faculty positions A wide variety of high quality clinical facilities that serve diverse clients State of the art simulation laboratories Standardized patients used in many BSN courses (NSG 403 Health Assessment, NSG 406 Mental Health, NSG 413 Maternal-Child Health, & NSG 416 Adult Health Nursing) Academic support services to students including free group tutoring funded by CON and SASS and a clinical psychologist for test anxiety CHALLENGES: Lack of office space for growth Limited number of research focused faculty to meet the research mission of the university and college Succession planning as faculty approach retirement Limited number of tenure track faculty; recruiting challenged by a dearth of doctorally prepared faculty nationally ACTION PLAN: Renovation of 5 th floor of the 920 Madison Building for additional CON office space Plan for renovation of the Crowe Building to house the CON and provide space for growth Ten new doctoral faculty positions approved FY2013-FY2017, including a mix of tenure. track, research (n=5) and practice focused (n=5) positions with five new faculty hires The CON will strategically plan to support master s prepared faculty to obtain the terminal degree in nursing, this approach has been used successfully in the past to grow our own doctorally prepared faculty 41

43 Standard III Program Quality: Curriculum and Teaching-Learning Practices The curriculum is developed in accordance with the program s mission, goals, and expected student outcomes. The curriculum reflects professional nursing standards and guidelines and the needs and expectations of the community of interest. Teaching-learning practices are congruent with expected student outcomes. The environment for teaching-learning fosters achievement of expected student outcomes. III-A. The curriculum is developed, implemented, and revised to reflect clear statements of expected student outcomes that are congruent with the program s mission and goals, and with the roles for which the program is preparing its graduates. Elaboration: Curricular objectives (e.g., course, unit, and/or level objectives or competencies as identified by the program) provide clear statements of expected learning that relate to student outcomes. Expected outcomes relate to the roles for which students are being prepared. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The BSN program prepares pre-licensure students and nurses who hold diplomas or associate degrees in nursing for generalist nursing practice. The expected student outcomes are the same for both tracks. The BSN curriculum was developed and is being implemented and revised according to the standards set by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, 2008]. These essentials are foundational outcome competencies that build on a liberal arts and science foundation. Course and program outcomes provide clear statements of expected student learning outcomes (BSN Course Descriptions and Outcomes, Appendix K). Expectations for student outcomes are clearly articulated in each course syllabi. The BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee is responsible for the development and revision of schemas, course descriptions, and outcomes-subsequently presented for vote to the entire faculty. Each course is reviewed by the BSN/MSN faculty according to the MEP. The CON BSN program outcomes define the graduate of the program as one who will: 1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. 2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. 3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. 4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. 5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. 6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. 7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. Table 3.1 below demonstrates the relationship between BSN program outcomes and the CON mission and philosophy. The expected student learning outcomes are congruent with the CON mission and philosophy. 42

44 Table 3.1 Relationship between the College of Nursing Mission and Philosophy and BSN Program Outcomes CON Mission CON Philosophy BSN Program Outcomes To prepare nurse leaders and to advance science to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the nation.... to meet the health needs of the people.... Nursing care requires sensitivity as well as critical, logical, and analytical thinking to effect changes in clients and the health care system The faculty views environment as all conditions influencing the life and development of the person Health is viewed as a dynamic state arising from a process of continuous change in the person and environment #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patientcentered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidence-based, patientcentered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care To prepare nurse leaders and to advance science Nursing care requires critical, logical, and analytical thinking to effect changes in clients and the health care system #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care #7. Demonstrate continuous selfevaluation and lifelong learning. The art of nursing requires that nurses use knowledge gained from the humanities, arts, and sciences as the foundation for acceptance and appreciation of clients values. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. 43

45 III-B. Curricula are developed, implemented, and revised to reflect relevant professional nursing standards and guidelines, which are clearly evident within the curriculum and within the expected student outcomes (individual and aggregate). Baccalaureate program curricula incorporate The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008). Master s program curricula incorporate professional standards and guidelines as appropriate. a. All master s degree programs incorporate The Essentials of Master s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011) and additional relevant professional standards and guidelines as identified by the program. b. All master s degree programs that prepare nurse practitioners incorporate Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (NTF, 2012). Graduate-entry program curricula incorporate The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008) and appropriate graduate program standards and guidelines. DNP program curricula incorporate professional standards and guidelines as appropriate. a. All DNP programs incorporate The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) and additional relevant professional standards and guidelines if identified by the program. b. All DNP programs that prepare nurse practitioners incorporate Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (NTF, 2012). Post-graduate APRN certificate programs that prepare nurse practitioners incorporate Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (NTF, 2012). Elaboration: Each degree/certificate program incorporates professional nursing standards and guidelines relevant to that program, area, role, population focus, or specialty. The program clearly demonstrates where and how content, knowledge, and skills required by identified sets of standards are incorporated into the curriculum. APRN education programs (degree and certificate) (i.e., Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Midwife, and Nurse Practitioner) incorporate separate comprehensive graduate level courses to address the APRN core, defined as follows: Advanced physiology/pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the lifespan; Advanced health assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts and approaches; and Advanced pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents. Additional APRN core content specific to the role and population is integrated throughout the other role and population-focused didactic and clinical courses. Separate courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology are not required for students enrolled in post-master s DNP programs who hold current national certification as advanced practice nurses, unless the program has deemed this necessary. 44

46 Master s programs that have a direct care focus but are not APRN education programs (e.g., nursing education and Clinical Nurse Leader), incorporate graduate level content addressing the APRN core. They are not required to offer this content as three separate courses. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The BSN curriculum prepares graduates for the generalist level of nursing practice. The curriculum is developed, implemented and revised to reflect The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice [American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2008]. The curriculum builds on a diploma or associate degree in nursing or a liberal foundation of arts, humanities, and science, depending on the level of entry of the student. Table 3.2 below demonstrates the relationship between the AACN BSN Essentials and BSN Program Outcomes. The expected student learning outcomes are congruent with the AACN BSN Essentials. Table 3.2 Relationship between the BSN Essentials and BSN Program Outcomes BSN Essentials I. Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice BSN Program Outcomes #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patent-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. II. Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. 45

47 III. Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. IV. Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology V. Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments VI. Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health Outcomes VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. 46

48 #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. VIII. Professionalism and Professional Values #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. IX. Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. #1. Use verbal, nonverbal, written, and emerging technology methods to communicate and collaborate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and the patient s support network. #2. Deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate evidencebased, patient-centered health promotion and disease and injury prevention interventions. #3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of patient-centered care. #4. Demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct. #5. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors. #6. Apply socio-cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors as a basis for nursing practice. #7. Demonstrate continuous self-evaluation and lifelong learning. The faculty of the BSN/MSN department participate in a review of all required BSN courses consistent with the MEP. Details from these reviews can be found in the BSN/MSN Curriculum Minutes Faculty present strengths and areas for improvement along with recommended changes that incorporate suggestions from student course evaluations and faculty recommendations. 47

49 Adequacy of textbooks, campus lab/clinical facilities, and classrooms are evaluated by students and faculty. Planned revisions are discussed based on recommended changes. Furthermore, specific course assignments are mapped to both student learning outcomes and the BSN Essentials (Appendix L). Mapping confirmed that key elements of all essentials were reflected in the curriculum. During the May 2014 BSN retreat, faculty focused on curriculum revision to enhance critical thinking through simulation and interprofessional practice. Faculty will implement the NLN case studies that correlate with concurrent course content throughout the three nursing skills labs using simulation. Students participate in two major interprofessional opportunities; one focusing on safety and best practice related to blood transfusion with students enrolled in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences program. The second opportunity occurs in the senior year, when medical students and nursing students participate in a simulated emergency code. The debriefing session that follows the code focuses on role clarification and areas of strengths and needed improvement. These activities were felt to be valuable by students and faculty. Due to the success of these two interprofessional activities, it was recommended that the curriculum be revised so that nursing students have an interprofessional experience with physical therapy students related to safe patient transfers and assistive devices. Major content areas were mapped to prevent content drift. Duplications and deletions were noted and placement of content revised or added. For example, Marfan syndrome was added to NSG 413 Maternal Child Health and Sjogren's syndrome was added to NSG 431 Acute Care/Gerontology as this content was not included. Staging of wounds was moved from NSG 404 Introduction to Professional Practice to NSG 416 Adult Health to coincide with treatment and prevention of wounds. The skills taught in each of the three nursing skills lab courses were reviewed for alignment with course content. The review resulted in content being shifted or added to one or more of the skills labs. For example, Enteral Tube feeding/irrigation was moved from NSG 412 Nursing Skills II to NSG 424 Nursing Skills I since medication administration via the enteral route existed in Skills I. ECG content was mapped to NSG 404 Introduction to Professional Practice, NSG 416 Adult Health, and NSG 431 Acute Care/Gerontology along with concurrent skills lab. Hemodynamic monitoring (arterial lines, central venous pressure catheters, and pulmonary artery catheters) were formally added to NSG 417 Acute Care Skills III. Faculty are now participating in two gap analyses: one gap analysis compares the curriculum to the revised NCLEX test plan to ensure that the curriculum prepares BSN graduates for success and ultimately to be safe beginner practitioners. An additional gap analysis is being performed to compare the standardized comprehensive exam (ATI comprehensive predictor exams) to the curriculum content to identify areas that need to be strengthened or added to courses. These analyses that will be completed in the summer of 2014 will inform the faculty of needed curriculum revisions. The faculty have designed an evidence-based baccalaureate curriculum that prepares graduates to practice in a dynamic complex healthcare system while also providing the foundation to succeed in graduate school. Students have experience working with and caring for individuals, families, and communities in a variety of settings throughout their course of study. Nursing practice sites span the continuum of health and illness. Students care for diverse persons across the lifespan at state of the art facilities ranging from acute care, to home care and hospice located within the city. Relationships between the BSN Essentials and the nursing curriculum are demonstrated below in Table

50 TABLE 3.3 The Relationship between the BSN Essentials and the BSN Nursing Curriculum AACN BSN Essentials Curriculum provides theoretical and clinical experiences to prepare the professional nurse with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Core curricular content includes: I. Professional values altruism autonomy human dignity integrity social justice II. Core competencies critical thinking communication assessment and technical skills III. Core knowledge health promotion, risk reduction and disease prevention illness and disease management Elements of BSN Curriculum The BSN program includes a foundation of liberal education courses and upper division nursing courses that include credits for didactic content and for clinical practicum learning experiences. Professional values are introduced in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice, examined in (NSG 410) Professional Issues, and applied in (NSG 414) Evidence Based Practice, (NSG 418) Leadership, (NSG 419) Internship and in all clinical courses. Professional values are evaluated in all clinical courses. Critical thinking develops from simple to complex throughout nursing courses. Students begin completing care plans and concept maps in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice and compare normal newborns to newborns in NICU in (NSG 413) Maternal Child Health. In (NSG 416) Adult Health Nursing students synthesize complex concepts through the development of concept maps. A pedigree project is completed in (NSG 407) Genetics and research is applied in (NSG 414) Introduction to Evidence Based Practice. Interviewing and counseling is taught in (NSG 406) Mental Health and (NSG 403) Health Assessment. All clinical courses incorporate communication in the care of patients, families, and communities. (NSG 418) Leadership focuses on interprofessional communication and collaboration. Fundamental assessment and technical skills are taught in the first term and build from simple to complex; they are applied throughout all nursing clinical courses. The sequencing of skills is mapped in Appendix M. Liberal Education and required prerequisite courses (Anatomy Physiology I/II, Microbiology, and Statistics) provide foundational knowledge. Patient safety is introduced in (NSG 423) Medication Safety in Healthcare and (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice and concepts of patient centered care are applied throughout the curriculum. The concepts of health promotion and risk reduction provide the foundation for (NSG 415) Health of Populations theory and practice that includes health education, early detection through screening, referral and follow-up, and epidemiology. Illness and disease management concepts are taught in (NSG 416) Adult Health and emphasized within the acute care settings in (NSG 431) Acute Care/Gerontology and (NSG 413) Maternal Child Health. 49

51 Information and health care technology Ethics Human Diversity Global Health Care Knowledge and skills related to information and health care technology are acquired during Term II in (NSG 405) Informatics for Healthcare and conduct electronic searches to develop evidencebased practice posters in (NSG 414) Introduction to Evidence Based Practice. Electronic clinical resources (lab test reference, nursing drug reference, medical dictionary) are used routinely in didactic courses such as (NSG 421) Pathophysiology and (NSG 499) Pharmacology and in all clinical courses. The electronic health record is used in all skills lab courses (NSG 424, 412, 417) and most clinical experiences. Ethics content is first introduced in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice, (NSG 410) Professional Issues and again in (NSG 414) Introduction to Evidence Based Practice as it relates to conducting research and protecting human rights. Content relative to professional behavior is introduced in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice and reinforced in all nursing courses and applied in all clinical courses. This concept receives initial emphasis in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice and is incorporated in each nursing course. Cultural competency is one of the major outcomes of all clinical courses. The principles and skills of cultural diversity are applied in a variety of health care settings to achieve this purpose. The implications of a global society to health care delivery are examined in all nursing courses as it pertains to the care of diverse clients. Knowledge of the world as a community of concern is further explored in-depth in the (NSG 415) Health of Populations. Health Care Systems Policy This is introduced in (NSG 410) Professional Issues. (NSG 415) Health of Populations and (NSG 418) Leadership emphasizes the organization of healthcare; access to and the cost of healthcare; the quality of health care; the economic, political, and legal forces that influence the health care delivery system. IV. Role development Provider of Care Designer/Manager/Coordinator of Care This role is emphasized in the first term courses and included in all nursing course work. In (NSG 407) Genetics students are exposed to the topic of genetics counseling. During the first term courses (NSG 403) Health Assessment, (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice, and (NSG 406) Mental Health, students develop foundational skills as a provider of care. Throughout the curriculum, special knowledge and skills are applied in all clinical experiences. Each theory/clinical course contributes to the development of these professional roles, but the third term courses are designed to develop the designer/manager/coordinator role. In (NSG 431) Acute Care/Gerontology students design, manage, and coordinate care for complex patients. (NSG 419) Internship presents the opportunity for synthesis and application of knowledge and skills in the designing, management and coordination of patient care. Students assist with coordinating an interdisciplinary team. 50

52 Member of a Profession All nursing courses are designed to prepare future members of the nursing profession. Beginning in (NSG 404) Introduction to Professional Practice, students are encouraged to become members of the professional nursing association TSNA & TNA. (NSG 410) Professional Issues through (NSG 415) Health of Populations and (NSG 418) Leadership provide opportunities to develop knowledge and experience as a member of the profession. Students are introduced to Standards of Care and Standards of Professional Performance. III-C. The curriculum is logically structured to achieve expected student outcomes. Baccalaureate curricula build upon a foundation of the arts, sciences, and humanities. Master s curricula build on a foundation comparable to baccalaureate level nursing knowledge. DNP curricula build on a baccalaureate and/or master s foundation, depending on the level of entry of the student. Post-graduate APRN certificate programs build on graduate level nursing competencies and knowledge base. Elaboration: Baccalaureate program faculty and students articulate how knowledge from courses in the arts, sciences, and humanities is incorporated into nursing practice. Post-baccalaureate entry programs in nursing incorporate the generalist knowledge common to baccalaureate nursing education as delineated in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008) as well as advanced course work. Graduate curricula are clearly based on a foundation comparable to a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Graduate programs delineate how students who do not have a baccalaureate degree in nursing acquire the knowledge and competencies comparable to baccalaureate education in nursing as a foundation for advanced nursing education. Accelerated programs that move students from basic nursing preparation (e.g., associate degree or diploma education) to a graduate degree demonstrate how these students acquire baccalaureate level knowledge and competencies delineated in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008), even if they do not award a baccalaureate degree in nursing in addition to the graduate degree. DNP programs, whether post-baccalaureate or post-master s, demonstrate how students acquire doctorallevel competencies delineated in The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006). The program provides a rationale for the sequence of the curriculum for each program. 51

53 PROGRAM RESPONSE: To prepare graduates for the generalist level of nursing practice the BSN curriculum builds on foundational knowledge from courses in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Required pre-requisite courses are rich and provide a foundation for the BSN curriculum. Students in both BSN tracks are required to complete a minimum of 60 non-nursing credits. The core curriculum consists of general education courses in the humanities, liberal arts, mathematics, social, behavioral and natural sciences. UTHSC has identified the following general education competencies that all students completing baccalaureate degrees must meet prior to graduation: communication, mathematics, sciences, critical thinking, information literacy, and technology. For example, prerequisite courses in math provide the foundation for NSG 423 Medication Safety in Healthcare which has a strong emphasis on dosage calculation. The prerequisite courses Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology provide the foundation upon which to build an understanding of the physiological biochemical systems of health and illness and lay the ground work for NSG 421 Pathophysiology. Statistics provides students with basic techniques, applications, and theories of mathematics and statistics that assist them in their ability to analyze, critique, and interpret research data relevant to evidence-based practice. An evidencedbased project literature review is completed in NSG 414 Evidenced-Based Practice. English prerequisite courses provide students with basic language arts skills used in the papers assigned in nursing courses. For example students complete an individual paper focused on Advanced Directives in NSG 410 Professional Issues and a collaborative community assessment and resulting written project in NSG 415 Health of Populations. The BSN program is logically and sequentially structured moving from foundational to complex concepts so that each course builds on the previous courses in the curriculum. For example, first term courses include pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment that provide a foundation for understanding disease concepts presented in subsequent courses. Students also complete a free-standing course in genetics which includes a genetic pedigree from collected family history information. Students are then introduced to the profession of nursing, foundational skills, and health promotion in NSG 404 Introduction to Professional Nursing. In this course they learn the nursing process and develop concept maps that enhance clinical decision making. Students learn interviewing and counseling skills and therapeutic communication in NSG 406 Mental Health preparing them to interact and communicate effectively with clients. In the second term, students move to into the complex theory and courses NSG 416 Adult Health and NSG 413 Maternal Child Health where they provide care to clients with more complex health problems. They continue to focus on the Provider of Care Role. Students focus on chronic illness in the acute care setting in Adult Health and care of children and adolescents with major health alterations with a focus on developmental levels and family systems. Third term students care for clients with complex multisystem problems in acute and critical care areas and focus on the Designer/Manager/Coordinator of Care Role. Students also focus on aggregate populations and complete community assessments in NSG 415 Health of Populations. Data gathered from community assessments will be used to identify health and safety needs for an aggregate population. An opportunity is provided to participate in a Community Disaster Drill and focus on protecting vulnerable populations during disasters. NSG 418 and 419 Nursing Leadership and Internship respectively provide opportunities for participating in interprofessional rounds and develop a quality improvement project based on identified core measures or nurse sensitive quality indicators. Informatics is integrated throughout the curriculum beginning with an extensive technology orientation and training during orientation. All students are required to purchase a mini tablet loaded with software that includes a medical dictionary, medical and laboratory diagnostics, and a drug reference. The majority of textbooks are provided as e-books with an option for printed copy. Students are introduced to electronic medical records in skills labs and NSG 405 Informatics, a stand-alone course where students learn about information and patient care technology. See Appendix N for pre-licensure BSN and RN to BSN sample curricular schemas. 52

54 III-D. Teaching-learning practices and environments support the achievement of expected student outcomes. Elaboration: Teaching-learning practices and environments (classroom, clinical, laboratory, simulation, distance education) support achievement of expected individual student outcomes identified in course, unit, and/or level objectives. Teaching-learning practices and environments in the BSN program support the achievement of expected student outcomes. Beginning with virtual recruiting and online orientation, the CON creates an environment that supports the achievement of student outcomes. Interactive games such as Jeopardy, Hollywood Squares, and Battleship are used to reinforce learning in selected lectures in NSG 430 Transitions to Professional Nursing, NSG 413 Maternal-Child Health, and NSG 416 Adult Health. Standardized patients are used for teaching new skills in NSG 403 Health Assessment, NSG 406 Mental Health, NSG 413 Maternal-Child Health, and NSG 416 Adult Health Nursing. These standardized patients are live models who have been specially trained for the purpose of teaching health science students to perform skills and assessments. For students enrolled in NSG 403 Health Assessment, standardized patients are used for the midterm focused physical examination and for the final health assessment check off. For the focused physical exam, students randomly draw one of the several systems that they have studied. The student then performs the examination of that system on a standardized patient. For the final health assessment check off, students perform a head to toe physical exam. Learning physical assessment skills with standardized patients helps prepare students for direct patient care. Standardized patients provide students with the opportunity to perform an assessment on someone that they do not know prior to entering the clinical setting. The student must introduce him/herself and be able to communicate with the standardized patient. This helps prepare them for being with actual patients in the clinical setting. It also introduces the student to older patients as some of the standardized patients are older and may actually have different findings on a physical assessment than another student who is in their 20's. This opportunity for learning is evaluated very positively by students and reinforces positive behaviors and techniques. In this course, students are also held accountable for watching health assessment videos by being randomly selected to demonstrate the skills in the video for their lab group (under the supervision of the group and the instructor to ensure that they are performing the skills correctly). These learning activities motivate students to prepare for class by reading required assignments and watching the videos. Adequate preparation prior to class encourages active student engagement in learning during class time. Shadow Health Virtual Patients is an innovative learning strategy that will be added to NSG 403 Health Assessment for RN to BSN students as we move the course on-line in the fall 2014 term. Students will have an interactive computerized patient that they can perform physical assessment on via the computer. Students will obtain a history on these patients and "perform" physical assessments on all systems. Case studies will be interwoven into the experiences to improve clinical skills. Because the healthcare field increasingly relies on technology for medical references, Livescribe Smartpens will be recommended for BSN students to help them become comfortable and familiar with technology as an innovative tool for education/learning. A Livescribe Smartpen is a regular ink pen with recording capabilities. Students take notes with the pen while the pen records the lecture. Because the pen requires the use of special paper, called dot paper, everything the student writes, hears, or says is recorded. Then he or she can replay the lecture simply by tapping on the dot paper. Lecture notes and audio can be transferred to a computer via USB cable with the Livescribe Echo Smartpen and can be transferred to a computer wirelessly with the 53

55 Livescribe Sky Wifi Smartpen. A free software program, Livescribe Desktop, can be downloaded to make sharing notes and audio with classmates an easier task. Notes and audio can be saved and viewed on desktop computers, laptops, ipads or iphones. Being able to search and share handwritten notes on the digital devices they use every day makes these pens useful for modern day nursing students. Respecting Choices IPEH 905: Section 002 Special Topics in IPE: Patient Centered Communication and Healthcare Decisions was offered for the first time in spring Twenty five nursing students including RN to MSN and MSN-Clinical Nurse Leader students participated in this elective in the spring 2014 term. BSN students will be eligible next year. This one credit interprofessional course focuses on the impact of health care literacy and how it affects patient decision-making. It is designed to provide students communication strategies for discussing Advanced Care Planning, palliative and hospice care with patients and family members. Interprofessional learning groups have opportunities in which difficult health care conversations are practiced utilizing standardized patients. Students completed course modules to obtain a certificate in Health Care Literacy and Communication, as well as Facilitator Certification in the Respecting Choices Advanced Care Planning curriculum. Faculty and members of the Information Technology department provide a technology workshop during orientation. It was observed that some students had advanced skills related to technology whereas others were limited. This had also been observed in the past which resulted in a HRSA grant entitled Learning Information Seeking and Technology for Evidence-based Nursing practice (LISTEN). The purpose of this program is to use individualized learning strategies within web-based multi-media training modules to improve the information literacy competencies, i.e., information technology, information seeking, and information application attitudes, knowledge, and skills, of undergraduate and graduate nursing students and practicing workforce nurses. These modules are incorporated in NSG 405 Informatics for Health Care for RN to BSN students and available to all BSN students. DocuCare a web-based, simulated EHR, is built into clinical scenarios to correlate with VitalSim manikins to provide experience with performing clinical skills and documenting care provided, patient outcomes and progress. Assignments created within this software involve students navigating customized patient records to identify pertinent components related to patient status and documenting skills that have currently and previously been taught. The software also offers a reference defining medical procedures, laboratory tests, and medications that have been drawn from Lippincott reference texts. Software has often been used in theory courses with clinical simulation for creation of patient records to relay patient information and provide opportunities for additional documentation. Through the Interprofessional Education and Clinical Simulation Center students accessed the EHR DocuCare for the NSG 416 Adult Health clinical simulation sessions. The students were able to access the DocuCare patient chart information in the patient room. Four patients from the NLN scenarios that are already loaded into the DocuCare system were used. The students reviewed the patient chart and medication record. After interaction with a simulated patient students were able to log into DocuCare and complete documentation regarding their assessments and interventions. In NSG 414 Introduction to Evidence Based Practice, group meetings rather than large classes are used to facilitate students getting to know each other and to better support student learning. During the group meetings the faculty member who is a funded researcher leads a discussion of important topics from course modules, provides coaching for the group project, and gives guidance for article analyses. Because research and evidencebased practice are team activities, some of the course is designed as a team activity. In this course, just as in reallife, sometimes students are assigned to a team and other times they get to choose their team. Students are randomly assigned to a discussion group, but select partners for the project from within their discussion groups. 54

56 The College of Nursing has Dedicated Education Units (DEU) at Methodist University Hospital, Methodist South, Methodist North, and Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital. Clinical teachers are expert staff nurses who have demonstrated a commitment to working with students by teaching, mentoring and supporting students in a collaborative teaching-learning environment. Clinical teachers are prepared to facilitate the students learning through completion of their facility s preceptor course and the UTHSC CON DEU Clinical Teacher workshop. Clinical teachers participate in a one-day training that covers BSN/MSN essentials, adult learning, concept maps, clinical teaching with simulated case studies, and student evaluation. Training for new clinical teachers was conducted in July Clinical teachers are assigned to one to two students depending on the expected course outcomes during the clinical rotation, and they provide formative feedback regarding the students progress. Faculty assigned to a DEU provide oversight of the students and are responsible for evaluating students. Students are very positive about the experience on the DEU stating they do not have to wait on the faculty to perform skills and the practice partners are excited that these students require less orientation than other new graduates upon beginning employment. Faculty have reported that the DEUs allow for real-time learning and students demonstrate more critical thinking skills and confidence when performing clinical skills. III-E. The curriculum includes planned clinical practice experiences that: enable students to integrate new knowledge and demonstrate attainment of program outcomes; and are evaluated by faculty. Elaboration: To prepare students for a practice profession, each track in each degree program and postgraduate APRN certificate program affords students the opportunity to develop professional competencies in practice settings aligned to the educational preparation. Clinical practice experiences are provided for students in all programs, including those with distance education offerings. Clinical practice experiences involve activities that are designed to ensure students are competent to enter nursing practice at the level indicated by the degree/certificate program. The design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical practice experiences are aligned to student and program outcomes. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The BSN curriculum includes planned laboratory and clinical experiences to enable students to attain the BSN program outcomes. The CON determines and assesses clinical sites to ensure that clinical experiences for pre-licensure and post-licensure students provide comprehensive learning opportunities to promote integration of baccalaureate learning outcomes that prepare graduates for professional nursing practice. Clinical facilities provide rich and varied opportunities for practice experiences designed to assist graduates to achieve the Baccalaureate Essentials upon completion of their program. Clinical experiences prepare students to care for a variety of patients across the lifespan and across the continuum of care. The BSN program utilizes a wide range of clinical facilities including in-patient and community settings such as schools, health departments, community centers, clinics and hospitals to provide clinical practice experience for achievement of student and program outcomes. The design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical practice experiences are aligned to student and program outcomes. Faculty have ultimate responsibility for the evaluation of student clinical experiences. In the BSN program, pre-licensure students complete a minimum of 18 credit hours or 810 hours of supervised clinical experiences in the baccalaureate generalist role. For example, students in NSG 419 Internship complete 4 credit hours or 180 supervised clinical hours. High-fidelity simulation is incorporated into skills 55

57 courses and clinical courses (<10% of clinical hours) prior to NSG 419 Internship. To meet the requirements from the AACN White Paper Expectations for Practice Experiences in the RN to Baccalaureate Curriculum that all baccalaureate nursing students, regardless of program type, complete clinical training experiences as part of their academic program students enrolled in the RN to BSN complete 3 clinical hours or 135 supervised clinical hours. For example, students enrolled in NSG 415 Health of Populations complete 45 hours of supervised clinical hours and 90 hours in NSG 419 Internship. There has been increased emphasis on the development and implementation of interprofessional learning opportunities across the institution, supported in part by institution-level grants totaling over three million dollars. UTHSC established the Office of Interprofessional Education and Clinical Simulation in This office was created to support and facilitate the integration or expansion of clinical simulation (encompassing the use of standardized patients/family members/colleagues, task trainers, high fidelity human patient simulators, or virtual reality simulations) into professional degree programs and residency training programs across the university. Additionally, the Office of Interprofessional Education and Clinical Simulation organizes interprofessional learning opportunities such as interprofessional participation in community events (i.e. health fairs, health screenings), didactic courses and modules, and clinical experiences. III-F. The curriculum and teaching-learning practices consider the needs and expectations of the identified community of interest. Elaboration: The curriculum and teaching-learning practices (e.g., use of distance technology, didactic activities, and simulation) are appropriate to the student population (e.g., adult learners, second language students, students in a post-graduate APRN certificate program) and consider the needs of the programidentified community of interest. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The didactic content for prelicensure BSN courses is predominately delivered faceto-face using a variety of pedagogical approaches while the RN to BSN courses are offered online or in a hybrid format (mix of face-to-face and online). The BSN pre-licensure program uses a variety of teaching methodologies to meet the needs of the adult learner. During orientation, all students complete a Learning Style Inventory (SLI) administered by Student Academic Support Services (SASS). The SLI allows students to gain a better understanding of their learning preferences. An educational specialist from SASS then meets with the students to share their results and make recommendations based on the different learning types. This understanding allows students to develop strategies to remove barriers that challenge their learning. For example, auditory learners may prefer to tape lectures so they can play them back, visual learners may benefit from flashcards, and tactile learners benefit from participating in open labs. Students share their preferred learning styles with their faculty advisor for further recommendations. SASS offers many services that all are free of charge. An expert on test anxiety who can be contacted to provide biofeedback sessions to reduce test anxiety is on staff. Faculty use a wide array of technology such as lecture for the auditory learner, power points for the visual learner, and simulations for the tactile learner. Faculty provide recommended readings, online tutorials, and games to meet the needs of adult learners. Standardized tests (ATI) include both practice assessment as a formative measure and proctored assessment as summative assessments used at the end of selected courses. Individualized focused assessments that include a list of resources for additional study are provided to the student. Students have an opportunity to remediate and retest to determine achievement of the content. The use of national benchmarks from ATI testing allows the CON to evaluate the curriculum based on student outcomes. Peer tutoring is provided at no charge to students at predetermined times during the curriculum and open labs are scheduled for practice and remediation. 56

58 A student representative serves on the BSN/MSN curriculum committee to make recommendations for improvement to the curriculum. Students also provide valuable feedback related to teaching learning practices at the end of each course using an anonymous online survey. Members of the Community Advisory Council provide feedback related to the preparedness of the graduate entering the work environment which reflects the appropriateness of the curriculum. The CON serves on the advisory board of the newly established Nurse Residency program for the Methodist Healthcare System which will further inform the college about identified strengths and weaknesses of graduates entering the workforce. In fall 2013, faculty and practice partners voiced concerns that students and new graduates lacked confidence and ability to perform nursing skills. Faculty observed that students were unable to correctly demonstrate skills that were incorporated in the previous term s skills course. Also critical thinking skills evaluated during simulations at the end of the first and second term (fall 2013 and spring 2014, respectively) were not at the desired level of competency. These findings led to a course specific skills check list that is incorporated into the clinical evaluation for specific courses which prompts students to perform identified skills during the clinical experience. Additionally, a skills fair is included in the first week of the third term to reinforce skills learned in the previous two skills courses. Simulations that focus on clinical reasoning and critical thinking are being added at multiple times to the clinical courses and skills labs PHAN 499 Pharmacology is taught in an asynchronous online format for RN to BSN and pre-licensure BSN students using the Blackboard platform. Multi-modal teaching strategies include readings, videos, games, case studies, and discussion boards for questions/answers which engage the students as active learners. Optional activities include reviewing PowerPoint slides, listing to the audio glossary, and practice exam questions. When students requested a face-to-face review session prior to an exam in fall 2013, the faculty member scheduled an optional on-campus review session for students. For future reviews, modalities such as Adobe Connect will be used to enable RNs who are enrolled in the online program to participate in the review. NSG 423 Medication Safety in Healthcare uses a flipped classroom approach with students reviewing content and practicing problems prior to the in-class sessions. During the in-class sessions, the instructor answers questions and works with students on content based on their individual needs. Deficiencies in basic math computation and understanding of medical terminology were identified as barriers to success in the course. For students entering fall 2014, the College of Nursing developed an online orientation including modules on basic math calculation and medical terminology for students to complete prior to entering the BSN program. The College of Nursing s Office of Student Affairs receives queries from registered nurses interested in pursuing the BSN degree. The director of this office reported an overwhelming number of these potential applicants were only interested in an online delivery format that would allow them to complete school while also working. To meet this community of interest s needs, beginning fall 2014 RNs enrolled in the BSN program will have the option to either complete their plan of study by attending the face-to-face/hybrid sections or the online sections of the required courses. When the first BSN class began it was noted that students financial aid was often delayed and they were unable to purchase books until second week of class. Without the textbooks, students performance was challenged in the accelerated BSN program. Therefore, to support the achievement of student outcomes, faculty worked with administration to allow the mini tablet and all year one e-books to be charged to the students financial aid so that payment was delayed, and not due, during orientation. Students will receive the tablet and e-books during orientation along with a technology workshop. 57

59 III-G. Individual student performance is evaluated by the faculty and reflects achievement of expected student outcomes. Evaluation policies and procedures for individual student performance are defined and consistently applied. Elaboration: Evaluation of student performance is consistent with expected student outcomes. Grading criteria are clearly defined for each course, communicated to students, and applied consistently. Processes exist by which the evaluation of individual student performance is communicated to students. In instances where preceptors facilitate students clinical learning experiences, faculty may seek input from preceptors regarding student performance, but ultimately faculty are responsible for evaluation of individual student outcomes. The requirement for evaluation of student clinical performance by qualified faculty applies to all students in all programs. Faculty evaluation of student clinical performance may be accomplished through a variety of mechanisms. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Evaluation methods used to assess individual student performance are clearly stated in the syllabus for each of the BSN courses. Course syllabi describe course content, expected student outcomes, grading policies, and evaluation methods. The weight assigned to each evaluation method toward computation of the final course grade is included in the syllabus. Evaluation criteria are selected to reflect the achievement of expected results as measured against course outcomes. Student performance is evaluated in a variety of methods related to the type of class and term level. Methods include examinations, papers, development of presentations, case studies, and group projects. Students in NSG 419 Internship are evaluated on their weekly journal entries that focus on clinical application of the leadership theory taught that week in class and through their clinical evaluation documents. In NSG 421 Pathophysiology students are evaluated based on NCLEX style exam questions, quizzes, and a presentation. NSG 414 Introduction to Evidenced Based Practice students complete a journal article analysis that is graded according to a rubric. In this course students participate in a Group Project and poster presentation that proposes implementation of an evidence-based practice change. The manned posters are displayed in the UTHSC lobby area for viewing by students, faculty, and visitors to the university. In addition to peer evaluation, UTHSC faculty serve as judges for the poster session. Grading policies are identified in the UTHSC Catalog, as well as in each syllabus. The grading policy is consistently applied to all BSN students. Only grades of A, B, or C are considered satisfactory for nursing courses. A student shall not progress to any higher level nursing course unless at least a grade of C is earned in all preceding courses. To be considered in good academic standing, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Students who do not meet progressions standards are reviewed by the Progressions Committee and an action plan is developed, if appropriate. Progressions standards for BSN students are identified in the UTHSC Catalog ( Students practicum courses are evaluated with specific assessment tools, correlated with outcomes of the course. These assessment tools are reviewed with students and preceptors prior to students beginning their practicum. The CON BSN program outcomes are published in the UTHSC Catalog which is available online to all students. This catalog clearly defines the outcomes expected from students upon graduation. BSN students will evaluate how well they have met learning outcomes on the EBI BSN Exit Survey. III-H. Curriculum and teaching-learning practices are evaluated at regularly scheduled intervals to foster ongoing improvement. Elaboration: Faculty use data from faculty and student evaluation of teaching-learning practices to inform decisions that facilitate the achievement of student outcomes. Such evaluation activities may be formal or informal, formative or summative. Curriculum is regularly evaluated by faculty and other 58

60 communities of interest as appropriate. Data from the evaluation of curriculum and teaching-learning practices are used to foster program improvement. PROGRAM RESPONSE: There has been ongoing evaluation of curriculum and teaching-learning practices in the BSN program since it began. Formative and summative evaluation has occurred. Students evaluate courses and faculty at the end of each term using Qualtrics. Aggregate data is compiled and shared with course faculty, the BSN Program Director, the BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee, and Associate Deans. Course faculty evaluate their own courses and incorporate student suggestions for improvement into these course summaries. A yearly BSN Program retreat provides opportunity for sharing of course summaries and recommendations for curricular changes. Focus groups were conducted with students at the end of the first year. Students indicated that it would be helpful to receive clinical assignments sooner in order to make personal scheduling arrangements. Faculty took this into consideration and are making concerted efforts to post the clinical schedules earlier. Faculty use data from faculty and student evaluation of teaching-learning practices to make informed decisions that facilitate the achievement of individual student learning outcomes. An example of this occurred when students enrolled in NSG 421 Pathophysiology felt the "extra" resources and images provided with system modules enhanced understanding of the content. They also felt the lack of images for certain defects was an area for improvement. Based on these comments, additional tutorials, videos, and images will be added to each system covered; the purchase of videos that allow for still frame capture are also being reviewed for inclusion. The addition of images, videos, and tutorials will meet the needs of the different learning styles. Faculty use data from the evaluation of curriculum to foster program improvement. Each year graduates will be asked to complete the EBI BSN Exit Survey. The EBI Exit Survey will measure graduates perception of their achievement of BSN Essentials and program outcomes. Aggregate data will be reported with 3-year program trends provided. Additionally, program means will be compared to selected benchmark schools, as well as all BSN programs. These data will be shared with BSN faculty at the BSN/MSN Curriculum Committee meeting and annual BSN Program retreat. Table 3.4 below provides examples of changes already made or planned in BSN courses based on evaluation data. 59

61 Table 3.4 Use of Course Evaluation Data in BSN Course Revisions/Improvements Course NSG 404 Introduction to Professional Practice Action Based on students comments on course evaluations content on trach care and suctioning will be added to course lecture since the content is covered on the course specific ATI exam and on the ATI final evaluation. Content on Medications and Physical Exam will be reinforced (students cover this content in depth in 2 prerequisite courses). Due to faculty evaluation in the end-of-course meeting, pain assessment and reassessment will be addressed in clinical orientation. The clinical partners policies on pain assessment are very specific and students need more detailed education on the policies. NSG 406 Mental Health In response to students requests to decrease external class assignments, HESI case studies as graded assignments will be eliminated and case studies will be used as a learning activity in class. In response to student evaluations the number of mental health clinical sites used to promote awareness of community resources will be decreased from five to two. NSG 423 Medication Safety in Healthcare In response to student evaluations, 30 minutes will be designated at the end of class to discuss priority questions. Extended in-class meetings to 2 hours, rather than having one hour face-to-face and one hour online. The extra hour will be used to provide more time for demonstration of equipment used to administer medication (i.e. syringes, IV pump, IV fluid bags, etc.) and completion of practice questions and case studies. This change was based on students course evaluations. NSG 417Acute Care Skills III Added a Skills Fair at the beginning of the course in response to students request for more practice time to perfect skills and the gap in time from the end of the previous skills course and the beginning of the subsequent skills course. All clinical courses Implemented required skills checklist to be completed during clinical experiences each term to ensure end of program skills competencies. 60

62 STANDARD III. STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, & ACTION PLAN STRENGTHS: Innovative teaching strategies to address learning needs of diverse students including simulation, interprofessional education, and multimodal approaches Integrated program curricula that reflects relevant professional nursing standards and guidelines Incorporation of standardized tests (ATI) that identify student strengths and area for improvement and provide guidance on areas for curricula improvement Integration of technology throughout the program Inclusion of IHI modules and a focus on safety and quality improvement Input by communities of interest in program development/revision CHALLENGES: As a leader in program innovation, the CON is often paving new territory. This, tied to our commitment to continuous quality improvement, means that our programs are dynamic, creating a challenge in keeping the website and print literature current Incorporation of innovative programming methods throughout the curriculum to accommodate learning needs of distance students ACTION PLAN: Formalize and operationalize documentation of changes made in the curriculum. Effective August 2014, College of Nursing has been granted privileges from IT to update our webpages without going through university IT department The College of Nursing has an educational coordinator with expertise in technology (Daniel McGarry) and dedicated effort from an educational specialist in instructional design and online education (Kristy Conger) from the UTHSC Office of Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs who are working with faculty to integrate technology into courses and develop online courses 61

63 Standard IV Program Effectiveness: Assessment and Achievement of Program Outcomes The program is effective in fulfilling its mission and goals as evidenced by achieving expected program outcomes. Program outcomes include student outcomes, faculty outcomes, and other outcomes identified by the program. Data on program effectiveness are used to foster ongoing program improvement. IV-A. A systematic process is used to determine program effectiveness. Elaboration: The program uses a systematic process to obtain relevant data to determine program effectiveness. The process: is written, ongoing, and exists to determine achievement of program outcomes; is comprehensive (i.e., includes completion, licensure, certification, and employment rates, as required by the U.S. Department of Education; and other program outcomes); identifies which quantitative and/or qualitative data are collected to assess achievement of the program outcomes; includes timelines for collection, review of expected and actual outcomes, and analysis; and is periodically reviewed and revised as appropriate. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The program uses a systematic process to obtain relevant data to determine program effectiveness. This process is written and outlined with timelines in the CON MEP. The CON Evaluation Committee periodically reviews the MEP and revises it as appropriate. In fall 2013, the MEP was reviewed and updated to reflect the revised CCNE Standards. The key quantitative performance indicators that will be used to assess overall student performance and achievement of curriculum outcomes in the BSN program are graduation rates, NCLEX-RN pass rates, employment rates, and program satisfaction data collected from new graduates and alumni. These performance indicators will be collected yearly and are reviewed by the BSN/MSN Curriculum committee, BSN Director and Associate Deans. The CON has a contract with AACN/Educational Benchmarking Institute (EBI) for BSN Nursing Education Exit Assessment and BSN Alumni Assessment. Graduate Nursing Employer Assessment will be accomplished through informal dialogue with employers and during meetings of the CON Community Advisory Council. These data will be used in validating achievement of curriculum outcomes from a broad perspective. The Tennessee Board of Nursing will provide comparative data of UTHSC BSN graduates NCLEX-RN scores and the state and national passing scores. Qualitative data is obtained through focus groups conducted by an external consultant with students throughout the BSN program. Students have been asked to comment about their experiences in the program and to identify strengths and areas that need improvement. Faculty carefully consider students suggestions obtained through focus groups and make appropriate changes. Yearly benchmarking through AACN/EBI benchmarking assessments will be used as a strategy for initiating and sustaining ongoing improvement. AACN/EBI benchmarking assessments provide data for trend analysis over time and for comparison with benchmark schools regarding how well the BSN program outcomes are being met. The AACN/EBI data will be shared with faculty yearly and will help us identify areas for investment to improve program effectiveness. 62

64 IV-B. Program completion rates demonstrate program effectiveness. Elaboration: The program demonstrates achievement of required program outcomes regarding completion. For each degree program (baccalaureate, master s, and DNP) and post-graduate APRN certificate program: The completion rate for each of the three most recent calendar years is provided. The program specifies the entry point and defines the time period to completion. The program describes the formula it uses to calculate the completion rate. The completion rate for the most recent calendar year is 70% or higher. However, if the completion rate for the most recent calendar year is less than 70%, (1) the completion rate is 70% or higher when the annual completion rates for the three most recent calendar years are averaged or (2) the completion rate is 70% or higher when excluding students who have identified factors such as family obligations, relocation, financial barriers, and decisions to change major or to transfer to another institution of higher education. A program with a completion rate less than 70% for the most recent calendar year provides a written explanation/analysis with documentation for the variance. This key element is not applicable to a new degree or certificate program that does not yet have individuals who have completed the program. PROGRAM RESPONSE: This key element is not applicable to the BSN program because there are no individuals who have completed the program. IV-C. Licensure and certification pass rates demonstrate program effectiveness. Elaboration: The pre-licensure program demonstrates achievement of required program outcomes regarding licensure. The NCLEX-RN pass rate for each campus/site and track is provided for each of the three most recent calendar years. The NCLEX-RN pass rate for each campus/site and track is 80% or higher for first-time takers for the most recent calendar year. However, if the NCLEX-RN pass rate for any campus/site and track is less than 80% for first-time takers for the most recent calendar year, (1) the pass rate for that campus/site or track is 80% or higher for all takers (first-time and repeat) for the most recent calendar year, (2) the pass rate for that campus/site or track is 80% or higher for first-time takers when the annual pass rates for the three most recent calendar years are averaged, or (3) the pass rate for that campus/site or track is 80% or higher for all takers (first-time and repeat) when the annual pass rates for the three most recent calendar years are averaged. A campus/site or track with an NCLEX-RN pass rate of less than 80% for first-time takers for the most recent calendar year provides a written explanation/analysis with documentation for the variance and a plan to meet the 80% NCLEX-RN pass rate for first-time takers. The explanation may include trend data, information about numbers of test takers, data relative to specific campuses/sites or tracks, and data on repeat takers. 63

65 The graduate program demonstrates achievement of required program outcomes regarding certification. Certification results are obtained and reported in the aggregate for those graduates taking each examination, even when national certification is not required to practice in a particular state. Data are provided regarding the number of graduates and the number of graduates taking each certification examination. The certification pass rate for each examination for which the program prepares graduates is provided for each of the three most recent calendar years. The certification pass rate for each examination is 80% or higher for first-time takers for the most recent calendar year. However, if the pass rate for any certification examination is less than 80% for first-time takers for the most recent calendar year, (1) the pass rate for that certification examination is 80% or higher for all takers (first-time and repeat) for the most recent calendar year, (2) the pass rate for that certification examination is 80% or higher for first-time takers when the annual pass rates for the three most recent calendar years are averaged, or (3) the pass rate for that certification examination is 80% or higher for all takers (first-time and repeat) when the annual pass rates for the three most recent calendar years are averaged. A program with a pass rate of less than 80% for any certification examination for the most recent calendar year provides a written explanation/analysis for the variance and a plan to meet the 80% certification pass rate for first-time takers. The explanation may include trend data, information about numbers of test takers, and data on repeat takers. This key element is not applicable to a new degree or certificate program that does not yet have individuals who have taken licensure or certification examinations. PROGRAM RESPONSE: This key element is not applicable to the BSN program because it is a new program with no graduates. IV-D. Employment rates demonstrate program effectiveness. Elaboration: The program demonstrates achievement of required outcomes regarding employment rates. The employment rate is collected separately for each degree program (baccalaureate, master s, and DNP) and post-graduate APRN certificate program. Data are collected within 12 months of program completion. For example, employment data may be collected at the time of program completion or at any time within 12 months of program completion. The employment rate is 70% or higher. However, if the employment rate is less than 70%, the employment rate is 70% or higher when excluding graduates who have elected not to be employed. Any program with an employment rate less than 70% provides a written explanation/analysis with documentation for the variance. This key element is not applicable to a new degree or certificate program that does not yet have individuals who have completed the program. PROGRAM RESPONSE: This key element is not applicable to the BSN program because it does not yet have individuals who have completed the program. 64

66 IV-E. Program outcomes demonstrate program effectiveness. Elaboration: The program demonstrates achievement of outcomes other than those related to completion rates (Key Element IV-B), licensure and certification pass rates (Key Element IV-C), and employment rates (Key Element IV-D); and those related to faculty (Key Element IV-F). Program outcomes are defined by the program and incorporate expected levels of achievement. Program outcomes are appropriate and relevant to the degree and certificate programs offered and may include (but are not limited to) student learning outcomes; student and alumni achievement; and student, alumni, and employer satisfaction data. Analysis of the data demonstrates that, in the aggregate, the program is achieving its outcomes. Any program with outcomes lower than expected provides a written explanation/analysis for the variance. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The CON produces an annual publication that includes aggregate trended data related to expected outcomes for students as well as faculty. This data report includes graduation rates; NCLEX- RN pass rates, certification pass rates, and employment rates; as well as data related student characteristics. The BSN program will use EBI exit and alumni surveys to assess achievement of student learning outcomes, student and alumni achievement, and student and alumni satisfaction. Graduates of the BSN program will complete the EBI exit survey at the time of graduation; alumni will be assessed one and three years following graduation, as delineated in the CON Master Evaluation Plan. A focus group was conducted in May 2014 with the four students in the first BSN cohort that is expected to graduate in December Students described the program as being of high quality, having excellent diverse clinical sites, experienced caring faculty, and state of the art simulation experiences. The CON considers student focus groups a valid avenue for eliciting student feedback and plans to include regularly-scheduled BSN focus groups for each cohort on a regular basis; midway and end of the program. IV-F. Faculty outcomes, individually and in the aggregate, demonstrate program effectiveness. Elaboration: The program demonstrates achievement of expected faculty outcomes. Expected faculty outcomes: are identified for the faculty as a group; incorporate expected levels of achievement; reflect expectations of faculty in their roles and evaluation of faculty performance; are consistent with and contribute to achievement of the program s mission and goals; and are congruent with institution and program expectations. Actual faculty outcomes are presented in the aggregate for the faculty as a group, analyzed, and compared to expected outcomes. PROGRAM RESPONSE: Faculty vitae located on the CON website at provide evidence of notable accomplishments in the areas of leadership, scholarship, clinical practice and service. Expected faculty outcomes are identified for the faculty and incorporate expected levels of achievement. The UTHSC Faculty Handbook contains expectations of faculty in specific ranks. Faculty outcomes are consistent with and contribute to the programs mission and goals and are congruent with institution and program expectations. 65

67 Faculty Accomplishments in Leadership: Faculty have a long history of serving in leadership positions at the local, state, national, and international levels. Dr. Tommie Norris, Associate Dean and Associate Dean/Chair of BSN and MSN Programs, has served as Vice President of the Tennessee Nurses Association, and President of Beta Theta Chapter at Large of Sigma Theta Tau International. Currently Drs. Bensinger, Norris, Likes, and Wicks and Jackie Sharp serve on the Board of Directors of Beta Theta Chapter-at- Large. Dr. Mona Wicks chairs the Memphis Mental Health Institute (MMHI) board of trustees. MMHI is the regional mental health institute for Shelby County, Tennessee. Many of our faculty are Fellows in professional organizations. Drs. Wicks and Hathaway are Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Leadership Fellows. Dr. Graff is a Fellow in the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Drs. Carter, Hathaway, Lockhart, and Wicks are Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Drs. Margaret (Peg) Hartig, Irma Jordan, and Susan Patton are Fellows in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Wendy Likes is a Fellow in the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease. Dr. Tommie Norris is a Fellow in the AACN Leadership for Academic Nursing Program. Melody Norris Waller was one of five new minority educators selected for the national Johnson & Johnson/American Association of Colleges of Nurses Minority Nurse Faculty Scholars Program in Funded by the Johnson and Johnson Campaign for Nursing s Future, the scholarship program provides financial support to graduate nursing students from minority backgrounds who agree to teach in a school of nursing after graduation. Ms. Waller, who teaches in the BSN program, is pursuing a PhD in Nursing Science. Loretta Alexia Williams is a Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar. This scholars program supports the educational development of new nursing faculty. Ms. Williams teaches in the BSN program and is pursuing a PhD in Nursing Science. Dr. Donna Hathaway served on the program planning committee for the AACN Board of Directors and also served on the AACN DNP Essentials Task Force. Dr. Irma Jordan served as the Tennessee state representative for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is currently chair of the APRN Committee for the Tennessee Nurses Association. Dr. Susan Patton is past president of the Forensic Nurse Certification Board. Ms. Alise Farrell is past president of the Memphis chapter of the Pediatric Nurses Society; Dr. Patricia Cowan serves on the Family Nurse Partnership Advisory Board at Methodist-Le Bonheur Healthcare. Faculty Accomplishments in Teaching: BSN faculty have been recipients of numerous teaching awards. Ms. Trina Barrett and Ms. Melody Waller were the UTHSC (SGAEC) Student Government Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients for Drs. Jacqueline Burchum and Sherry Webb received this award in In 2014, Dr. Jacqueline Burchum received the University of Tennessee Alumni Association s Outstanding Teacher Award. Several of our faculty are recognized as curriculum experts and serve as CCNE evaluators or consultants to other Nursing programs. Dr. Tommie Norris and Dr. Jackie Burchum currently serve as CCNE evaluators. Faculty Accomplishments in Clinical Practice: The CON s benchmark for faculty clinical practice is: 85% of advanced practice faculty will recertify through practice. All faculty with advanced practice certification are allotted 20% time for consulting/practice in order to remain current in their specialty. Faculty are recognized locally, nationally and internationally as leaders in their specialty areas. They have been actively engaged in such activities developing specialty standards and certification exams for new specialty areas such as Forensic Nursing. Dr. Michael Carter is a Distinguished Practitioner in the National Academies of Practice and a Diplomat in Comprehensive Care. In summer 2011, Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC was appointed executive director at UT Medical Group s Center for HPV and Dysplasia (CHAD), which is focused on the prevention and treatment of lower genital tract cancers related to the human papillomavirus (HPV). She was instrumental in developing this unique clinic to fill the gap that currently exists in the Mid-South health care services for these patients, particularly for 66

68 men. Dr. Likes was the recipient of the Excellence in Clinical Practice Awards from the Beta Theta Chapter At Large of Sigma Theta Tau. Faculty Accomplishments in Research/Scholarship: The CON s benchmark for faculty scholarship is: 100% of tenure track faculty participate in research/scholarship. CON Faculty are invited speakers for local, state, national, and international professional groups giving presentations on topics related to their expertise. Dr. Carol Lockhart created and ran the Arizona Bioethics Network, a statewide bioethics network with monthly webinars, annual conferences and a web site with wide content on various topics at Dr. Donna Hathaway, a seasoned researcher, currently serves on the NINR Director s Advisory Committee. In June 2014 Dr. Hathaway received a $2.6 million dollar grant entitled System Change: An RCT for Medication Adherence in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients from NIH/NIDDK. The study will be conducted at the UTSHC-Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute and the University of Missouri Transplant Center by Dr. Hathaway and co-principal Investigator Dr. Cindy Russell from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. From , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has provided $610,000 in scholarship support to 61 second-degree students from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or underrepresented groups who were enrolled in the accelerated, pre-licensure BSN or MSN-CNL program through their New Careers in Nursing Program. Dr. Patricia Cowan, program liaison, provided academic and social support, mentorship, and leadership training to the scholars (36% male, 75% minority). Scholar outcomes included a 100% retention rate, 98% on-time progression, and 95% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN. Our successes with the RWJF scholars led us to implement changes in our pre-matriculation orientation program, including the development of an online component to our orientation program. We now offer small-group peer tutoring funded by the CON and have designated weekly times for faculty mentoring and advising of students. College of Nursing faculty have an extensive record of publications and grants. Faculty have been very successful in acquiring HRSA grants and faculty have received Advanced Nursing Education grants to support the DNP program (Forensic Nursing ; Public Health Nursing ; Psych/Mental Health ; and in 2012, a 3-year, $1.1 million dollar grant for Interprofessional Nursing Education was received). In July 2011, Dr. Tommie Norris received funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for a Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant project (7/1/2011 6/30/2014). The purpose of the project was to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The project provided a retention program to promote the success of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in a master s professional entry (pre-licensure, second degree) Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program and thereby contribute to the national goals of improved access to health care for underserved populations by increasing the proportion of minorities in nursing. To date, $120,000 in scholarships were distributed to 30 students enrolled in the MSN CNL program and $33,000 in stipends were been distributed to 33 individuals interested in nursing who completed the Nursing Pre-Matriculation Program. Due to the success of the HRSA NWD grant project (i.e., diversity increased in the nursing workforce), Dr. Norris submitted another NWD grant proposal to HRSA in January 2014, to fund students in the BSN program. The purpose of the proposed project is to utilize the asset bundles model described by Johnson and Bozeman (2012) to provide an innovative, multi-level approach to recruit, retain, and graduate disadvantaged students in the BSN program. This multi-level approach involves individual, social, and structural activities. Innovative features of this project are efforts to recruit disadvantaged and underrepresented minorities into a nursing career, pre-entry activities, an immersion program, a Hispanic medical language class, interprofessional learning with a standardized patient, an evidence-based retention plan, student academic and social support, student mentorship, and financial support in the form of scholarships and stipends. The proposal included 67

69 $150,000 in scholarships and $30,000 in stipends to be awarded to 45 students enrolled in the BSN program (over the 3-year project period). A social determinants of health framework would be utilized, thereby meeting national goals to increase access to quality health care, reduce health disparities and improve health equity. Although this project was favorably scored, it was not funded. This project will be resubmitted to HRSA following the BSN program accreditation. Shifts in national funding levels and the CON s emphasis on the development of new programs, including the BSN program, during the last two years have affected time available for scholarship. However, with the hire and start of three research-focused faculty in fall 2014, we anticipate an upward trend in grant submissions and funding. Tables below demonstrates faculty outcomes in research and scholarship. Table 4.1 Faculty Grant Funding by Year Fiscal Year * Total Grant Funding 1,634,498 1,618,026 1,432, ,608 *Note: 2014 data reflects grant funds through June 2014 and do not include funds from Dr. Hathaway s NIH funded RO1. Table 4.2 Faculty Refereed and Invited Presentations by Academic Year * Type Refereed Invited Refereed Invited Refereed Invited International National Regional State Local Total *Note: data based on faculty reports submitted April-June 2014 for annual evaluations. Table 4.3 Faculty Journal Articles and Other Publications by Year * Journal Other Journal Other Journal Other Journal Other *Note: 2014 data based on publications through June Faculty Accomplishments in Service: The CON expects 100% of full-time faculty to be engaged in service to the college, university, profession, and/or community. Faculty are well represented on college and university committees as evidenced by committee membership listed in Standard II. Faculty are actively engaged in the community, conducting health fairs, serving on local advisory boards of community agencies, and volunteering their time in a wide variety of community activities (Faculty CVs can be viewed on the website Faculty have had a long history of holding significant leadership positions in professional organizations, serving as presidents of their specialty organizations; currently Irma Jordan chairs the APRN Committee for the Tennessee Nurses Association. 68

70 IV-G. The program defines and reviews formal complaints according to established policies. Elaboration: The program defines what constitutes a formal complaint and maintains a record of formal complaints received. The program s definition of formal complaints includes, at a minimum, student complaints. The program s definition of formal complaints and the procedures for filing a complaint are communicated to relevant constituencies. PROGRAM RESPONSE: If students have concerns or questions, they are first directed to the appropriate faculty member. If the issue remains unresolved, the, the Program Director, the Associate Dean/Chair of BSN and MSN Programs, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the college dean are consulted in progressive fashion. For unresolved formal complaints regarding academic matters, the student may file an appeal in accordance with the Appeal Process published in the CenterScope. The CON defines a formal complaint as follows: A formal complaint concerning the College of Nursing is any written student complaint regarding matters not otherwise covered under UTHSC published Student Policies and Guidelines in university documents such as the UTHSC CenterScope, the UTHSC Catalog, and statements from the Office of Equity and Diversity. Thus, the purpose of a formal complaint is to provide a defined mechanism for resolution of a student problem that is not otherwise addressed in stated college or university policies and procedures. A formal complaint must be written and must include the following: Complainant s name, title, and phone number; detailed description of the complaint, including date and circumstances, if applicable; and names of all persons involved in the complaint. Formal complaints concerning the CON are sent to the dean of the CON. After a complaint is filed the dean of the CON reviews the complaint and charts a course of action. The complainant may or may not be asked to appear in person to discuss the matter further but will be informed in writing of subsequent actions taken by the dean in regards to the matter. The dean will provide a copy of the complaint submitted by the student to any individuals named in a formal complaint. Copies of complaints are filed in the dean s office. There have been no formal complaints in the BSN program in the past year. IV-H. Data analysis is used to foster ongoing program improvement. Elaboration: The program uses outcome data for improvement. Data regarding completion, licensure, certification, and employment rates; other program outcomes; and formal complaints are used as indicated to foster program improvement. Data regarding actual outcomes are compared to expected outcomes. Discrepancies between actual and expected outcomes inform areas for improvement. Changes to the program to foster improvement and achievement of program outcomes are deliberate, ongoing, and analyzed for effectiveness. Faculty are engaged in the program improvement process. PROGRAM RESPONSE: The CON MEP guides collection and analysis of outcome data. Processes are in place for regular collection of aggregate student outcome data regarding program completion, licensure, certification, employment rates, and student and alumni program satisfaction. Aggregate student outcomes are analyzed, compared with established benchmarks, trended and published in an annual data report. Faculty use these data to determine program effectiveness and to make needed changes to foster program improvement and achievement of program outcomes. 69

71 STANDARD IV. STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, & ACTION PLAN STRENGTHS: Faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized leaders Outstanding faculty achievements in teaching, scholarship, practice, and service Clearly delineated measures for evaluation of student learning. Experience in pre-licensure education (entry-level MSN) with strong NCLEX pass rates (see Program Information Form) CHALLENGES: Decreased federal funding for research Recent and pending faculty retirements and subsequent hiring of a mix of seasoned and junior faculty, who will need mentorship in teaching and scholarship ACTION PLAN: Pursue alternative sources of research funding An Associate Dean for Research and two full-time research faculty have been hired and will start fall 2014; three additional full-time research faculty positions are approved The CON has contracted with Elizabeth Tournquist for manuscript and grant consultation and hired an experienced HRSA grant writer In addition to providing personnel for instructional design and educational technology (addressed in Standard III), the CON and university have funded faculty development in education. The College of Nursing purchased NurseTim webinars for faculty development in educational assessments, curriculum, teaching strategies, and clinical instruction. Completion of these webinars prepares faculty for certification as a nurse educator. The university has provided funding for the fall 2014 Online Nursing Mastery Series, offered through the Online Learning Consortium (Sloan-C). These three workshops promote faculty effectiveness in multimedia instructional technologies and online education 70

72 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER Appendices for Accreditation Self Study of BSN Program Submitted to: The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) August 8,

73 TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES (VOLUME II) UT System Organizational Chart... A UTHSC Organizational Chart... B CON Organizational Chart... C Master Evaluation Plan... D Faculty Scholarship...E Faculty Activities Data Collection and Performance Planning Forms... F Nursing Student Government Association Constitution... G Selected Clinical Affiliations... H Faculty Profiles... I College of Nursing BSN Teaching List... J BSN Course Descriptions and Outcomes... K BSN Essentials Mapped with Courses...L Skills Mapping... M BSN Curricula... N 72

74 Appendix A UT System Organizational Chart 73

75 July 2014 Board of Trustees Audit Committee Administrative Assistant Jane Pullum President Joseph DiPietro Executive Assistant to President Keith Carver General Counsel & Secretary Catherine Mizell Chancellor UTK Jimmy Cheek Chancellor UTM Tom Rakes Chancellor UTC Steve Angle Chancellor UTIA Larry Arrington Chancellor UTHSC Steve Schwab Chief Operating Robert Moore Executive VP/ VP Research & Econ Dev/ORNL Relationships David Millhorn Vice President Government Relations & Advocacy Anthony Haynes Vice President Human Resources Linda Hendricks Harig Vice President Academic Student Success Katie High Vice President IPS Mary Jinks Vice President Comms. & Marketing Tonjanita Johnson Vice President Development & Treasurer & Chief Financial Butch Peccolo 74 Interim Chief Information Executive Director Audit & Consulting Services Sandy Jansen

76 Appendix B UTHSC Organizational Chart 75

77 The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Organizational Chart CHANCELLOR (CEO) Steve J. Schwab, MD Interim Vice Chancellor Research (CRO) Lawrence Pfeffer, PHD Vice Chancellor Academic, Faculty & Student Affairs (CAO) Cheryl Scheid, PhD Vice Chancellor Chief Information Technology (CIO) Jan van der Aa, PhD Executive Vice Chancellor (COO) Ken Brown, JD, MPA, PhD, FACHE Vice Chancellor Development & Alumni Affairs Randy Farmer, EdD Vice Chancellor Finance & Operations (CFO) Tony Ferrara, CPA, MAS Vice Chancellor Clinical Affairs (CCO) David Stern, MD All Campus Directors Dean Health Professions Noma Anderson, PhD Dean Dentistry Timothy Hottel, DDS, MS, MBA, FACD Dean Graduate Health Sciences Don Thomason, PhD Executive Dean Medicine David Stern, MD Interim Dean Nursing Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-Bc Dean Pharmacy Marie Chisholm-Burns, Pharm. D CEO - Chief Executive Officer COO - Chief Operating Officer CFO - Chief Financial Officer CCO - Chief Clinical Officer CRO - Chief Research Officer CAO - Chief Academic Officer Knoxville Campus Dean Medicine Jim Neutens, PhD 76 Memphis Campus Dean Medicine David Stern, MD Chattanooga Campus Dean Medicine David Seaberg, MD, CPE, FACEP