Advancing the Science of Nursing Education: More Findings From the National Survey on Excellence in

Jun 15, 04:54 AM

Current Headlines: By Scheckel, Martha Valiga, Theresa M

RECENT ISSUES of NURSING EDUCATION PERSPECTIVES have reported results of a national survey conducted by the NLN'S Nursing Education Advisory Council (1-3). The purpose of the survey was to establish a baseline regarding the extent to which faculty in all types of nursing education programs perceived that the NLN Hallmarks of Excellence in Nursing Education (c) were evident in their educational environments (4). The hallmarks are valuable guides for faculty and for establishing benchmarks in nursing programs. Benchmarks assist in evaluating the extent to which schools of nursing promote and sustain excellence over time. Results of the survey were encouraging, indicating that faculties overall perceive that their schools of nursing reflect the hallmarks.

Ironside and Speziale (2) reported on the portion of the survey in which nurse faculty responded to questions about evidence-based educational practices. Their segment highlighted the continued need for evidence-based teaching practices that contribute to the development of a science for nursing education. Results indicated that faculties perceive they are basing their teaching/learning/ evaluation strategies on evidence. These results were encouraging and supportive of the evidence-based culture sweeping across the country and traversing many disciplines. However, Ironside and Speziale considered these positive results in light of the need for continuous improvements and posed an important talking point: "What resources do we need as faculty to assure that we have the prerequisite skills to be part of developing the evolving pedagogical evidence needed to advance the science of nursing education?" (2, p. 221).

This segment addresses this question by reporting findings from the Educational Research section of the survey. Respondents (N = 743) were asked to use a four-point Likert-type scale (1 = strongly agree to 4 = strongly disagree) to evaluate items concerning teaching/ learning/evaluation strategies and innovation. Their responses reflect the extent to which nursing faculties contribute to the science of nursing education through the critique, utilization, conduct, and dissemination of pedagogical research.

Findings Findings from the survey (reported in the Table) indicate that overall, 48 percent of respondents perceived that students and faculty were contributing to the science of nursing education by critiquing pedagogical research, and 63 percent believed that students and faculty were using pedagogical research. Only 39 percent of respondents overall perceived that faculty and students were contributing to the development of a science of nursing education through the conduct and dissemination of pedagogical research. These results indicate that disseminating and conducting research lags behind critiquing and using pedagogical research.

The 2003 NLN National Study of Faculty Role Satisfaction counterbalances these findings. It indicated a steady increase in the percentage of faculty publishing in peer reviewed journals, an increase of approximately 18 percent over 10 years (5). This study did not explicate if publications by nurse educators were anecdotal or research articles, or whether the publications reported on nursing education research studies. Nevertheless, an increase in publications, coupled with responses indicating that nearly 40 percent of faculties were conducting and disseminating research in nursing education, are indicators that the science of nursing education is gaining momentum.

The drive for advancing the science of nursing education through the conduct and dissemination of nursing education research indicates that scholarship in nursing education is moving ahead of and beyond local impact. Presentations, unpublicized course redesign, and curriculum reform examples of local scholarship - are helpful in developing evidence to undergird teaching practices, but they are not equal to published research in contributing to the science of nursing education. Therefore, rather than asking what resources are needed to participate in developing the evolving science of nursing education, perhaps a more productive question would be: How are nurse faculty using the resources and skills they have to conduct and disseminate nursing education research that is advancing the science of nursing education?

Points of Progress The NLN survey on excellence boasts of a trend in nursing education that offers an opportunity to further investigate how nursing education scholars are acting on previous calls for a science of nursing education (6-8). In 1999, Tanner asserted that, in times of substantial advances in education and advancements in health care, the discipline of nursing needs a "cadre" of scholars prepared to conduct research in nursing education (8, p. 51).

Findings from the NLN national survey on excellence and the previous faculty role study reveal that this cadre may, indeed, exist. However, there now appears a need to exemplify and make public the resources and skills used by this core group of nursing education scholars. As Huber and Hutchings assert (9), an important mark of advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning is sharing widely what teachers are doing.

To establish benchmarks for the Hallmarks of Excellence in the area of educational research, nursing education scholars must begin to investigate and document how nurse educators are conducting and disseminating research in nursing education. It is essential to tap into the wisdom of those who are pioneers in moving the science of nursing education forward. Therefore, the following talking points are worth further consideration:

* How might studies of nursing scholars conducting research in nursing education show the exemplary qualities and practices needed for the production of high quality research in nursing education?

* How do publications in peer reviewed journals offer a sufficient benchmark for determining the quality of research in nursing education?

* How would meta-analyses and/or integrative reviews be helpful in establishing benchmarks for excellence in nursing education research?

* How does funding for research in nursing education influence the extent to which sufficient and appropriate benchmarks for excellence in nursing education research can be achieved?

References

1. Ironside, R M., & Valiga T. M. (2006). Headlines from the NLN. National survey on excellence in nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 27(3), 166-169.

2. Ironside, R M., & Speziale, H. J. S. (2006). Headlines from the NLN. Using evidence in education and practice: More findings from the national survey on excellence in nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 27(4), 219-221.

3. Ironside, R M., & Valiga T. M. (2007). Headlines from the NLN. How innovative are we? What is the nature of our innovation? Nursing Education Perspectives, 28(1), 51-53.

4. National League for Nursing. (2007). Excellence Initiatives: Hallmarks, indicators, glossary & references. [Online].Available: www.nln.org/excellence/hallmarks_indicators.htm.

5. National League for Nursing Workforce Development Advisory Council.Task Group on Recruitment and Retention of Nurse Educators. (2005). National study of faculty role satisfaction 2003. New York: National League for Nursing.

6. Diekelmann, N. L (2005). Creating an inclusive science for nursing education [Guest Editorial]. Nursing Education Perspectives, 26(2), 64-65.

7. Diekelmann, N. L. & Ironside, R M. (2002). Developing a science of nursing education: Innovation with research. Journal of Nursing Education, 41(9), 379-380.

8.Tanner, C.A. (1999). Developing the new professorate [Editorial],Journa/ of Nursing Education, 38(2), 51 -52.

9. Huber, M.T., & Hutchings, P. (2005). The advancement of learning: Building the teaching commons. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.

MARTHA SCHECKEL, PHD, RN

Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing

Winona State University, Winona, MN

THERESA M. VALIGA, EoD, RN, FAAN

Chief Program Officer, National League for Nursin

Copyright National League for Nursing, Inc. May/Jun 2007

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