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Institutional Effectiveness Report
Academic Year 2008-2009
Lynn Kennedy, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Sylvia Lufkin, EdD, RN
Chair, Department of Nursing
May 29, 2009
Mission and Goals
Vision Statement
The Department of Nursing seeks to be a center in the Pee Dee for holistic care, which
guides scholarship, leadership, and evidence based practice.
Mission Statement
The Francis Marion University Department of Nursing prepares graduates to function
competently as caring professional nurses in a variety of healthcare settings. The
program endeavors to inculcate in the student the value of lifelong learning. The
program prepares students to apply for graduate study.
Outcome Objectives
The baccalaureate program in nursing prepares the graduate to:
1. Utilize the liberal education courses as the cornerstone for the study and practice
of professional nursing.
2. Incorporate the knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and
patient safety in the provision of high quality health care.
3. Provide safe, effective, compassionate care to all individuals and groups across
the lifespan based upon the principles and models of evidence-based practice with
a basic understanding of the research process and the ability to retrieve, evaluate,
and synthesize evidence in collaboration with healthcare team members to
ultimately practice in a manner that improves patient outcomes.
4. Incorporate information management, patient care technologies, and
communication devices in providing safe and effective patient care.
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5. Incorporate information on healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory,
directly and indirectly influencing the nature and functioning of the healthcare
system in professional nursing practice.
6. Demonstrate effective interprofessional communication and collaboration through
verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills to practice individual
accountability, patient advocacy, conflict resolution principles, and teambuilding
strategies.
7. Integrate knowledge and skills derived from the physical sciences, bio-psychosocial sciences, humanities, and nursing in the provision of holistic care to
individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan
with a focus on health promotion, disease and injury prevention.
8. Demonstrate and utilize principles of legal ethical core values of professionalism
with the application of professional values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity,
integrity and social justice in the delivery of care to all clients across the lifespan.
9. Utilize the roles of provider of care, manager /coordinator of care and member of
the profession in developing and providing safe effective compassionate care to
all clients across the lifespan with diverse multicultural needs. This includes but is
not limited to cultural, spiritual, ethnic, gender and sexual orientation to diversity.
Assessment Activities
The institutional effectiveness assessment for the Department of Nursing has been based
in:
1. Annual review of departmental mission, goals, philosophy, conceptual model, and
program outcome objectives.
2. Review of the departmental strategic plan and review of progress in the
implementation of that plan.
3. Analysis of the requirements for accreditation by the National League for Nursing
Accrediting Commission.
4. Development and implementation of program exit evaluation tools.
5. Evaluation of RN-BSN program progress.
6. Implementation of community service projects and increased professional
development of students and faculty.
7. Continuing interest in the MSN program and planning for that program.
8. Development of time line for the National League for Nursing reaccreditation
process.
9. Evaluation, development and implementation of use of clinical agency evaluation
tools.
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10. Development and implementation of a Progression Policy that will utilize
nationally normed standardized tests.
11. Growth of a Department of Nursing Alumni Association.
12. Continued solicitation of funds for Human Simulators to enhance the student’s
clinical experience and critical thinking ability.
13. Development of the server within the Department of Nursing to enhance faculty’s
access to policy, procedures, manuals, and course materials.
Results and Evaluation
1. The mission, goals, philosophy and conceptual model of the department were reviewed
and affirmed by faculty.
2. The departmental strategic plan was reviewed. The faculty reviewed the strategic
plan and noted acceptable progress in the following areas:
Objective 1: To increase the number of BSN graduates in the Pee Dee
 Admitted 53 students in Fall 2008 and 20 Spring 2009
 Additional faculty has been recruited
 Improving the quality of adjunct faculty
 Visiting clinical facilities in the Pee Dee to obtain contracts
for clinical rotations. (Manning and Wilson Senior Care).
Objective 2: Implement the RN-BSN program:
 Admitted 14 students in the Fall 2008. Have enrolled 24 for
Fall 2009. Student satisfaction with the program is
excellent.
 Developed a relationship with Northeastern Technical
College to work with faculty and students in their program
to provide for as seamless as possible entry into the RN –
BSN program.
Objective 3: Develop a plan for implementation of a Masters level
nursing education program.
 Proposal for MSN program to be completed by November
2009
Objective 4: Strengthen student and faculty in the Student Nurses
Association
 The Student Nurses Association has grown in numbers and
in effort during this year.
 A group of students participated in the American Heart
Association Walk and Relay for Life.
 Several students attended the SCSNA Leadership
Conference
 Collected personal care items for Pee Dee Coalition
 Collected food items for the Mercy Clinic in Florence, S.C.
and the Darlington Free Clinic.
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 Participated in collection of books for the Literacy
Program.
Objective 5: Mentor graduate and undergraduate nursing students
into nursing education role.
 No graduate mentorship this year
 Five faculty accepted for Doctoral study
3. The department tests students at the completion of each clinical course beginning
in the first semester and in NURS 305: Nursing Pharmacology using the nationally
normed standardized examinations. Students are counseled if they are unsuccessful
in obtaining the national composite score and provided a remediation plan. Once the
remediation has been successfully completed the students are re-tested and if the
student does not achieve the national composite score/percentile, they are identified
as being high risk for not passing the required Exit Examination, not passing the
NCLEX-RN and not being endorsed by the Department of Nursing to sit for the
NCLEX-RN and must complete additional remediation prior to entering NURS: 406
Synthesis: Knowledge Practicum. Four students were not allowed to graduate in May
2009, since their performance on the standardized test did not meet the national
composite score/percentile. They will remediate and retest by the June, 2009 with
goal of August graduation. (All were successful on retesting before June 1, 2009)
Testing will be done at the completion of each clinical course in an effort to
identify student problems early in the curriculum and to retain students who may be
salvageable.
In reference to poor (although improved) Board scores the faculty studied
opportunities for improvement. The faculty obtained consultation from Dr. Betsy
McDowell, author of the KATTS Model, which has been used in other nursing
programs to improve Board performance. The model emphasized knowledge
acquisition, test taking skills and control of test taking anxiety. The KATTS’s model
was implemented in NURS: 406: Synthesis and Knowledge Practicum and resulted in
scores in 950 and higher range, which was the best performance thus far our program.
Implementation in all nursing courses will begin Fall 2009.
Seniors are tested four weeks before the end of the last semester of the senior year
using standardized normed examinations. Students are counseled if they are
unsuccessful in obtaining the prescribed national composite score/percentile and
provided a remediation plan. Once the remediation has been successfully completed
the students are re-tested and if the student does not achieve at the national composite
score/percentile, they are counseled and assigned additional remediation which
involves intense study in any area identified as an area of improvement. In addition,
these students, at their own expense, must complete an approved NCLEX-RN
Review Course and complete one or two additional Comprehensive Exit Exams
course at a prescribed national composite score/percentile in order to have the
Department of Nursing endorse the student to sit for the NCLEX- RN Exam.
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Data from these examinations are used to identify areas that will improve the
curriculum. As a result of this data, the need to thread pathophysiology,
pharmacology, geriatrics, nutrition, as well as bioterrorism throughout the curriculum
was identified and implemented.
6. Beginning in Spring 2009, surveys will be sent to affiliating agencies to assess their
evaluations of the program. Faculty reviewed the Exit Interview Survey results in
August 2008 and needs identified. These results were given to the DON curriculum
and program evaluation committees for analysis. Recommendations for changed were
brought to faculty for consideration and adoption.
8. Continue to seek funding for the purchase of human simulators.
Student Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Opinions
Data from exit interviews with seniors will be complied and the results shared with
the faculty at the beginning of Fall 2009. From these results, the faculty will be able
to identify areas of improvements as well as areas of strength. The need to update the
Checklist for the Arts and Sciences was identified in order to keep track of the student
throughout the nursing program.
Data from each course evaluation to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of theory
and clinical resources in meeting the end of the program objectives.
Primary Issues Identified During 2008-2009 with Review Actions Taken
Issue of Major Concern
Poor results on 2008 NCLEX-RN Exam
Action Taken
Response to the Board of Nursing
included:
In progress: Spring 2009 The faculty set
aside a block of time at the end of the
semester to work on curriculum.
a. Five faculty attended the NLNAC
Self Study workshop in April 2009.
Work has begun on curriculum
review.
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b. THREADS work sub-group
examined the curriculum to insure
that the identified core concepts
were integrated appropriately
throughout the curriculum.
c. A significant change in our
curriculum is in the reallocation of
semester hours to provide an
additional medical surgical course.
This change will become effective
in the Fall 2009 and will assure that
our students are exposed to
medical-surgical nursing in every
semester of the curriculum.
d. We are working with the
Psychology Department to analyze
data on our students in an effort to
pinpoint variable(s) that will assist
us in making targeted
improvements in admission criteria
and/or aspects of the program. Our
preference is to deny student
admission or to counsel students out
of the program when they do not
possess the necessary
characteristics to be successful in
the program and/or on the NCLEXRN. As we identify variables that
appear to be sentinel indicators of
success, we will share those with
our colleagues who may
be experiencing some of the same
struggles.
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We hope to identify other data that
we should be collecting on student
applicants in order to make the best
decisions possible regarding
students who should be admitted or
denied admission to the program.
e. All faculty completed a NCLEX
test item writing course.
f. Spring 2009 the faculty
implemented the KATTS
framework with the expectation of
improving outcomes on the
NCLEX-RN. We have found that a
number of our students complain of
having difficulty with testing and
particularly with Standardized
testing. Although we have sent the
students to our counseling and
testing services for help, we believe
that a more consistent approach in
preparing every student in test
taking skills and anxiety
management will prove beneficial.
This model has been researched and
demonstrated to increase success on
the NCLEX-RN. It emphasizes
knowledge (classroom content),
academic drilling (at least 30004000 questions), and anxiety
management on testing.
Dr. Rebecca Lawson, Director of
Counseling and Testing assisted
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with the test taking anxiety
management strategies by
conducting classes for all current
nursing students and full time
faculty. All students were required
to purchase a textbook on test
taking strategies. This content will
be included in NURS 303:
Professional Nursing and Nursing
Practice beginning Fall 2009.
Dr. Lawson lectured to the Senior
Class on specific test taking
techniques for the NCLEX-RN
examination. Also provided several
methods to control stress and
anxiety as it relates to theory and
test taking.
Betsy McDowell of Newberry
consulted with faculty on March 6,
2009 on the implementation of the
KATTS Model.
Dr. Cheryl Lane, School of
Education taught sessions on test
taking strategies to all students and
faculty. This content will be
included in NURS 303:
Professional Nursing and Nursing
Practice beginning Fall 2009.
Students were required to complete
4000 NCLEX-RN style questions in
NURS 406: Nursing Knowledge:
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Synthesis Practicum in Spring
2009. In addition, the students
completed weekly NCLEX-RN
questions in NURS 405 Leadership
and Management.
Senior students were tested every
week with 25 questions on HESI
topics. Also required to complete
all discussion questions in the HESI
review book. Students had to
defend why the answer in the book
was correct. This helped to develop
their critical thinking skills.
Senior level students did tutoring
for any student on test taking
strategies.
g. Converting from the HESI
standardized tests to ATI
standardized, this will allow
students to have practice tests and a
detailed remediation plan that is
tailored to each individual student.
Remediation and retesting are
mandatory for successful
completion of the course.
ATI service features are practice
tests, online testing with instant
feedback with correct rationales,
audiovisual media related to
specific topics, and proctored
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h. Revising and tightening the current
progression policy in order to
establish benchmarks for
progression in all clinical courses,
as well as in NURS: Nursing
Pharmacology and other specialty
courses.
i. Test reviews on all unit tests are
conducted in each course.
j. Faculty development in teaching
strategies was arranged through the
School of Education. Drs. Tom
Sawyer and Steve Taylor worked
with full time and adjunct faculty to
improved teaching skills. In the first
two years, we sent four less
experienced faculty to AACN
workshops for novice faculty.
k. Held back on endorsements for 4
Seniors who did not meet the
normalized score set for the HESI.
These students had to do extensive
remediation after the semester
ended and meet the established
benchmark before they would have
the Inc removed and the course
grade assigned and to receive
endorsements to sit for the NCLEXRN.
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Lack of Nursing Faculty on College
Committees
Lack of tenured Nursing Faculty
Lack of Human Simulator
WEB Site Development
Faculty Needs
Have nursing faculty names placed on
ballots. One faculty member serves on the
IRB Committee.
Tenure eligible faculty continues to prepare
dossiers.
Working with the Foundation Office to
visit clinical agencies and enlist support for
the purchase of a Human Simulator.
Working with Computer Resources to
update the WEB site.
As the program continues to grow will
need to add additional FTE faculty and rely
on fewer contract adjunct faculty.
Medical Surgical Faculty will begin in the
Fall 2009 to work with adjunct faculty in
their perspectives courses to insure
continuity and adherence to policies,
procedures, careplans, and the utilization of
clinical hours.