- NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 1 Course Definition and Alignment Table.
Introduction:
Developing a new course within a nursing program requires consideration of several factors, such as course objectives, target learners, program, and other relevant stakeholder standards. As a reference and planning tool, the new course development template offers a series of steps to guide the systematic definition of courses. In this assessment, the steps involved in designing a particular course shall be discussed briefly with details of the healthcare issue, course setting, and nursing student’s target group.
Next, we will provide information on the program offering, which includes the presentation of the educational environment that will house and support the new course, as well as the program learning outcomes for contextualization of the proposed course within the general nursing program. In the course definition section, you need to include the title and description of the course, vision, and a rationale that will clearly define what the course is all about as well as the changes it hopes to bring about. In explaining why the course is relevant in the nursing curriculum and how the learning objectives align with general education pursuits, this narrative will be constructed.
Program Offering
Nature of Program The nursing program offered is for registered nurses to develop them into further practice in enhanced healthcare facilities. As a part of knowledge-based activities, skills practice in clinical areas, and safe-meaningful simulation activities, the students of the nursing program acquire the essential knowledge, skills, and competencies essential for providing quality patient care throughout the human life span (Smith et al . , 2020).
Program Outcomes
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Current:
BSN students must be able to demonstrate knowledge in identifying the process, components, and implementation of evidence-based practice for clinical decision-making and maneuvering of nursing care.
Adopting positive communication and interdisciplinary teamwork for efficient and effective patient advocacy and health outcomes (Jones et al., 2021).
Identify and utilize various cognitive skills to organize, process, prioritize, and coordinate the delivery of care to individuals, families, and communities (McGilton et al., 2022).
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Course Title:
It is bad practice to learn ACLS by attending ACLS classes and then reading about ACLS online later. ; ACLS Training for Nurses
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Course Description, Vision, and Rationale:
The ACLS Nursing Professional course is expected to be taught to registered nurses in nursing professional schools with the vision of providing mastery skills in managing cardiac emergencies in the acute care unit. In this course, the participant will be taught knowledge and skills in both theory and practice, utilizing simulation and debriefing activities to develop proficiency in the identification, management, and treatment of acute life-threatening cardiac events. This course is designed to assist the participants in being confident and competent in the provision of quality cardiac care that would help to address the issues of deteriorating patient outcomes and the unsustainability of healthcare service delivery systems (Anderson et al., 2021).
Course Learning Objectives
Show competency in providing specific A. C. L. S. interventions, which include the performing of CPR, defibrillation, and administering of medications as per the current standards and protocols of AHA (Brown & Smith, 2019). Use critical and creative thinking to provide optimal care for individuals presenting with acute cardiac conditions by recognizing their clinical signs and symptoms and knowledge about cardiac rhythms (Taylor & Clark, 2020).
Correctly characterize the cardiac monitoring rhythms and initiate the necessary measures regarding the identified rhythm to adequately address and treat potential cardiac complications (Adams & White, 2021). While managing the care of patients experiencing cardiac arrest or complications, one should work hand in hand with other interprofessional team members to provide the best solutions, showing leadership, teamwork, and interprofessional communication.
Course Learning Objectives to Existing Program Outcomes
As with all the courses in the program, the intended course learning outcomes are connected with program outcomes to correspond to the nursing education framework. Identified and stated in Table 3 are course objectives mapped against the program outcomes: Each program objective has been aligned to the course objectives in a way that responds to the general goals of the nursing learning program (Smith et al., 2020). For instance, the first-course learning objective of understanding how to perform advanced life support cardiac interventions corresponds well with the program learning outcome relating to integrating the role of evidence-based practice in clinical decisions and nursing action (Johnson & Lee, 2019).
In performing the autonomous advanced interventions, nurses are, by default, adhering to evidence-based protocols; this aspect also fulfills one of the fundamental tenets of the program, which is evidence-based practice. On the same note, the second-course learning objective, that is, to examine and apply critical thinking academic skills in evaluating and determining care needs for patients with acute cardiac disorders, aligns with the program outcome that focuses on critical thinking and clinical judgment skills, as noted by Jones et al. (2021). Nurses have to exercise their critical thinking capabilities to properly analyze complicated case scenarios that pertain to the heart, thus mirroring the program’s goal of the student’s critical thinking and problem-solving development.
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies Used in a Nursing Education Course
Toward this end, course-level understanding and application of assessment and evaluation approaches are pertinent to inform learning achievements, modify future instruction, and achieve congruence with the program learning outcomes. These strategies include various techniques for assessing students’ achievements and competencies based on the learning that has taken place in the different domains of learning, namely the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains.
Another formative practice is the use of writing tests as an assessment strategy in nursing education courses, which aims to evaluate students’ ability to consolidate and apply theories, principles, and concepts acquired during the course (Smith et al., 2020). These types of assessments include multiple as well as short-answer questions and essay questions where a student can prove his or her understanding and utilization of the content covered in class. However, the understanding is that the written examinations are good for evaluating the mastery of the contents learned cognitively, they may not be efficient in evaluating other types of learning activities, psychomotor domain, or affective skills.
To overcome this shortcoming, simulation studies are commonly used to measure the development of the students’ psychomotor skills and their capacity to engage in clinical thinking in simulated situations typical of the healthcare setting (Johnson & Lee, 2019). Simulation-based training means that students can perform skills learned in didactic practice scenarios and incorporate theoretical principles in clinical practice in accomplishing mission-critical tasks such as patient evaluation, medication administration, and therapeutic communication, among others.
Furthermore, simulation-based assessments can guarantee that educators are able not only to assess students’ content and cognitive knowledge domains but also to evaluate the affective-related aspects of a student’s competence, such as his or her decision-making process, collaboration skills, and communication with peers from different disciplines within an interprofessional team.
Professional Standards or Regulations
Identifying the right professional standards and regulations for nursing education courses and linking them with the course learning objectives is always paramount to ensure a nursing curriculum reflects best industry practices and prepares students more suitable for the competent and ethical healthcare profession in the future.
In this context, by showing the link between knowledge and skills that students will be expected to acquire during a course and the professional standards or legal requirements for the program, educators will be able to assert that this program is designed and implemented in compliance with the high-quality assurance standards. Furthermore, it enhances the capacity to assess the results of learning outcomes of the students as well as the efficacy of the program.
Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies are also considered to be one of the important standards linked to the technical knowledge incorporated in the nursing education courses and define the knowledge, competencies, and attitudes that are imperative for successful nursing practice (Cronenwett et al., 2019).
Peterson, Clark, and Siteler believe that these competencies include patient-centered care, teamwork, and collaboration, application of evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. When linking up course learning outcomes to QSEN competencies, the educators avail themselves of the professional compétence necessary for availing students with the competencies they need to practice safety and quality improvement agenda-oriented personal care. Read more about our sample NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 4 for complete information about this class.
Alignment Tables
Table One: Course Learning Objectives to Assessments and Domains of Learning
| Serial Number | Course Learning Objectives | Assessments | Domains of Learning | Professional Standards/Regulations |
| 1 | Demonstrate proficiency in performing advanced cardiac life support interventions, including CPR, defibrillation, and medication administration, by current guidelines and protocols. | Simulation-based assessment: Students will participate in simulated cardiac emergency scenarios and demonstrate proficiency in performing ACLS interventions. | Psychomotor, Cognitive | QSEN Competencies: Evidence-based Practice |
| 2 | Apply critical thinking skills to assess and prioritize care for patients presenting with acute cardiac conditions, integrating knowledge of cardiac rhythms and clinical manifestations. | Written examination: Students will complete a written examination assessing their ability to interpret cardiac rhythms and prioritize care for patients with acute cardiac conditions. | Cognitive | QSEN Competencies: Teamwork and Collaboration |
| 3 | Interpret cardiac monitoring rhythms accurately and implement appropriate interventions based on rhythm recognition, ensuring timely and effective management of cardiac emergencies. | Clinical performance evaluation: Students will be evaluated during clinical practicum experiences on their ability to interpret cardiac monitoring rhythms and intervene appropriately in cardiac emergencies. | Psychomotor, Affective | QSEN Competencies: Safety |
| 4 | Collaborate effectively with interprofessional team members to coordinate care and optimize patient outcomes during cardiac crises, demonstrating clear communication and teamwork skills. | Interprofessional simulation exercise: Students will engage in a simulation exercise involving multiple healthcare professionals to manage a cardiac crisis, demonstrating effective communication and teamwork skills. | Affective | State Boards of Nursing Accreditation Standards: Faculty qualifications, Clinical Practice hours |
| 5 | Utilize ACLS algorithms and protocols to guide clinical decision-making in real-time scenarios, adapting interventions based on patient response and clinical context. | Case-based discussion: Students will participate in case-based discussions analyzing real-life cardiac emergency scenarios and developing appropriate ACLS algorithms and interventions. | Cognitive | State Boards of Nursing Accreditation Standards: Curriculum Content, Student Outcomes Assessment |
Table Two: Course Learning Objectives to Program Outcomes
| Program Outcomes | Learning Objectives | |
| 1. Demonstrate proficiency in applying evidence-based practice principles to clinical decision-making and nursing interventions. | 1. Demonstrate proficiency in performing advanced cardiac life support interventions, including CPR, defibrillation, and medication administration, by current guidelines and protocols. | |
| 2. Utilize effective communication and interdisciplinary collaboration to promote patient-centered care and positive health outcomes. | 2. Apply critical thinking skills to assess and prioritize care for patients presenting with acute cardiac conditions, integrating knowledge of cardiac rhythms and clinical manifestations. | |
| 3. Apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care for individuals, families, and communities. | 3. Interpret cardiac monitoring rhythms accurately and implement appropriate interventions based on rhythm recognition, ensuring timely and effective management of cardiac emergencies. | |
| 4. Engage in professional development activities to enhance nursing practice, lifelong learning, and leadership within the healthcare team. | 4. Collaborate effectively with interprofessional team members to coordinate care and optimize patient outcomes during cardiac crises, demonstrating clear communication and teamwork skills. | |
| 5. Utilize ACLS algorithms and protocols to guide clinical decision-making in real-time scenarios, adapting interventions based on patient response and clinical context. |
Table Three: Course Learning Objectives to External Standards
| Serial Number | Course Learning Objectives | Professional Standards/Regulations |
| 1 | Demonstrate proficiency in performing advanced cardiac life support interventions, including CPR, defibrillation, and medication administration, by current guidelines and protocols. | QSEN Competencies: Evidence-based Practice (Cronenwett et al., 2019) |
| 2 | Apply critical thinking skills to assess and prioritize care for patients presenting with acute cardiac conditions, integrating knowledge of cardiac rhythms and clinical manifestations. | QSEN Competencies: Teamwork and Collaboration (Johnson & Lee, 2019) |
| 3 | Interpret cardiac monitoring rhythms accurately and implement appropriate interventions based on rhythm recognition, ensuring timely and effective management of cardiac emergencies. | QSEN Competencies: Safety (Garcia & Patel, 2022) |
| 4 | Collaborate effectively with interprofessional team members to coordinate care and optimize patient outcomes during cardiac crises, demonstrating clear communication and teamwork skills. | State Boards of Nursing Accreditation Standards: Faculty qualifications, Clinical Practice hours (Miller & Nguyen, 2020) |
| 5 | Utilize ACLS algorithms and protocols to guide clinical decision-making in real-time scenarios, adapting interventions based on patient response and clinical context. | State Boards of Nursing Accreditation Standards: Curriculum Content, Student Outcomes Assessment (Anderson et al., 2021) |
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