week 8 discussion answers

Did anyone else take the NCLEX practice tests and find them to be fun? Also, at the time of this writing, the link to the NCSBN gives me a 404 error. Otherwise, the data provided by the candidate performance report is an invaluable reference to have for someone who just failed the exam. It specifically delineates what areas the student is weak in and special attention can be focused there. Aside from simply having the student review their deficits, Kalet, et al. (2016) state that a programmatic approach should be adopted. They cite multiple steps including the use of multiple sources of review to make detailed evaluation of the students’ progress as any one single evaluation is unlikely to gather a clear picture. Which is in line with that Oermann (2016) says about evaluations in general. I believe that one of Kalet, et al.’s (2016) strongest points is to establish a framework for an individualized written remediation including a variety of strategies tailed to suit the individual’s needs. Since each student learns in their own way, a “one-size fits all” sort of generic plan would place the student at a significant disadvantage.

 

Kalet, A.,  Guerrasio, J., & Chou, C. (2016) Twelve tips for developing and maintaining a remediation program in medical education, Medical Teacher, 38:8, 787-792, DOI: 10.3109/0142159X.2016.1150983

Oermann, M. H., & Gaberson, K. B. (2016). Evaluation and testing in nursing education (5th ed.). Springer Publishing Company. 

Hello class-

(First, they should change the term ‘CPR’ to something else. It sounds like they are telling the student- “You failed so bad; CPR is the only thing that is going to bring you back.” And those Khan Academy questions in the discussion prompt brought back some major PTSD.)

I was interested in comparing pass rates for first-time and second-time NCLEX takers; it goes from the national average of 86.5% and drops to 42.9% (Kaplan, 2023). Using the data provided in the CPR allows for creating a focused study plan for the students. As many of you probably did before taking the NCLEX, I used different types of practice tests such as U-World and ATI. Whatever subject (Endocrine or Peds) or domains (Basic Care and Comfort or Safety and Infection Control) I wasn’t successful in, I just wrote a study guide and carried it around with me to read. It sounds like a negative approach, but I told myself, “ You can’t know ALL of it- just know most of it”. Sticking to this advice took some of the stress off. As a future educator, I want success in the students I eventually teach. Retaking the NCLEX can be devastating, so building a study plan to inspire the student is imperative. Using the CPR to determine what domains to focus on and building study guides, practice tests, or other assessments would help- the student has to be willing to do the work, and the teacher needs to be there to motivate. 

Reference:

Kaplan. (2023, May 5).
NCLEX Pass Rates: What You Need to Know. Kaplan Test Prep. https://www.kaptest.com/study/nclex/nclex-pass-rates-what-you-need-to-know/

When I was in nursing school, we had one instructor who was demeaning, rude and outright difficult to learn under. Back then, I always swore to myself that if I ever became an instructor, that I would never be that person. Fast-forward over a decade later, I’m finding that there is actually published information regarding this. Oermann (2017) state that students learn better when they are in a positive environment. I feel solidified in my notion that I want to harbor a safe and nurturing environment for my students to learn under and not one where they are constantly subjected to stress and fear. For future research regarding assessment and evaluation, I am always curious about the ever-evolving online approach with distance learning. I am personally a hands-on type of learner and prefer the in-person approach. I would like to research the evaluations of students all with similar backgrounds but with different modalities of learning for a single subject matter: between in-person and online learning for any given topic. I am curious to see if the same evaluation can be used for in-person learning and distance learning, given the same subject matter.

 

Oermann, M. H., & Gaberson, K. B. (2017). Evaluation and testing in nursing education (Fifth). Springer Publishing Company, LLC. 

Hello class and professor-

This class was truly eye-opening. I had no idea about the thought process behind test construction, why well-written learning objectives are important for students, and the different levels of cognition in relation to SMART goals and Bloom’s. While it may have seemed obvious, the different approaches to assessing theory vs. clinical were interesting. Observational assessments don’t work in theory class, and you wouldn’t grade IV placement using true or false questions. One thing I will be sure to use in the future, if I become an online instructor is to be as engaging with my students as Professor Jeanne has. Responding to students is one thing, but highlighting what they have said and using it as a teaching point, then asking the class a question is a really good technique to help us forget how dreadful discussion boards can be. Lastly, in the future, I plan to research the use of escape rooms in the classroom setting. I just heard about this from our ED educator, and it sounds both crazy and fun as it goes away from the traditional learning model of lectures and PowerPoints. (I put two articles that talk about using this technique below). Thank you, everyone, for another great term. 

References:

Manzano-León, A., Rodríguez-Ferrer, J. M., Aguilar-Parra, J. M., Martínez Martínez, A. M., García, D. S., & Fernández Campoy, J. M. (2021). Escape Rooms as a Learning Strategy for Special Education Master’s Degree Students.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
18(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147304

Podlog, M., Husain, A., Greenstein, J., & Sanghvi, S. (2020). Escape the Trauma Room.
AEM Education and Training,
4(2), 158-160.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.10410