Associate Degree
Nursing
Curriculum Improvement Project
Curriculum Improvement Project
Grant 2006-2008
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Funded from the North Carolina State Board of
Community College Reserve Funds
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Each project is 2 years in length, but only funded on
an annual basis based upon availability of funds
Administered by the Division of Academic &
Student Services in the NCCCS Office
Curriculum Improvement Projects
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A means of providing funding for system-wide
projects in curriculum or instructional areas
experiencing significant changes
Job market developments
 Advances in technology
 New teaching & delivery methods
 Implementation of state or national educational
initiatives
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Curriculum Improvement Project
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Projects are based on the belief that the
classroom instructor is the critical factor in the
targeted curriculum area.
Professional development activities form the
foundation for curriculum development &
upgrading
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Content, methodology, technology
Curriculum Improvement Project
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Basic Framework for all CIP
2 years in length
 Based at a resource college: Wake Technical
Community College
 Full-time Director: Charlotte Blackwell
 Involve faculty from all other colleges offering the
targeted curriculum area in achieving project
objectives
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CIP Management Team
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Project Director: Charlotte Blackwell
College Instructional Administrator: Ben White;
Alisa Nagler
Program Consultants: Kim Jernigan & Jennifer
Frazelle
CIP Manager: Peggy Teague
CIP Mission
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Implementation of one Associate Degree
Nursing Curriculum Standard
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Collaborative restructuring & revision of
A45100 : integrated
 A45120 : nonintegrated
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Curriculum Revisions
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Will reflect recommendations from
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of
Sciences report, “Health Professions Education: a
Bridge to Quality in 2003”
 North Carolina IOM Task Force on the North
Carolina Nursing Workforce
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IOM Reports
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Acknowledge changing profiles of patients and
recognize that nursing education programs are
not educating nurses to meet those needs
Set forth imperatives for nursing education
programs
Imperatives for Nursing Education
Programs
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A curriculum that prepares graduates with
competencies to:
Provide patient-centered care
 Work in interdisciplinary teams
 Employ evidenced based practice
 Apply quality improvement processes
 Utilize informatics
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Needs & Emerging Issues
Standards last updated in 1996
 Major advances in healthcare sciences & services
since 1996 update
 Curriculum revisions needed
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To educate students to provide safe, competent nursing
care practices
 To update language in course descriptions in common
course library
 To assure easy transferability of students among colleges
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Needs & Emerging Issues
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To implement the NC Board of Nursing
curriculum mandate to include the “5 Practice
Competencies” from the IOM report
To provide professional development activities
to assist faculty with curriculum design and
teaching/learning methods
Needs & Emerging Issues
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Changing curriculum focus
Conceptual learning
 Methods that include:
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Increased technology
Distant education
Simulations
Project Design & Implementation
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Objective # 1
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Survey faculty/directors/deans to determine
curriculum & professional development needs
associated with changes needed to incorporate:
NC BON standards
 NLN standards
 IOM recommendations regarding educating the
workforce in NC
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Project Design & Implementation
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Objective # 2
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Review professional literature to determine what the
workforce employers & the nursing profession needs
from the next generation of nurses and how best to
implement the NCBON standards, the IOM
recommendations, the NLN standards into one
curriculum plan for all NC community college ADN
programs
Project Design & Implementation
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Objective # 3
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Form a Curriculum Development Focus Group
Faculty/directors/deans
 Consultants from NC Board of Nursing
 Representatives from NLN
 Education consultants from the NCCCS
 Representatives from industry/employers
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Design & Implementation
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Curriculum Development Focus Group Will
Review
Professional literature
 NC community college standards
 NC Board of Nursing standards
 NLN standards
 IOM recommendations
 Curricula from ADN programs nationwide
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Design & Implementation
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Objective # 4
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Coordinate meetings at various locations throughout
NC to involve “Focus Group” members in
discussions regarding curriculum changes
Express opinions & concerns of faculty/directors from
colleges represented
 Propose curricula changes which will lead to curricula
development & adoption
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Design & Implementation
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Objective # 5
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Revise & restructure the ADN curricula to reflect
one Curriculum Standard which incorporates the
major advances in nursing and healthcare practices
IOM recommendations for nursing workforce
 NC Board of Nursing requirements
 NLN requirements
 NCCCS requirements
 Needs of healthcare industry
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Design & Implementation
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Objective # 6
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Provide faculty professional development, as needed,
in support of curricular development & adoption
Video conferences
 Web conferences
 Phone conference calls
 State-wide workshops
 Discussion groups/ forums
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Project Outcomes
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Multi-institutional effort that leads to the
adoption and implementation of one Associate
degree Nursing Curriculum Standard which
meets the standards of all the accrediting
agencies and reflects the advances in nursing and
healthcare practices.
Project Outcomes
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One curriculum standard which will ensure a
seamless articulation for students moving among
the institutions of the community college system
Increase in nursing student retention throughout
the multi-institutional campuses due to
improved articulation
Project Outcomes
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Increase in number of nursing graduates
throughout the multi-institutional campuses
Better prepared graduates for current workforce
expectations
Project Outcomes
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Faculty professional development in support of
curricular development & adoption
Effective dissemination of project results to the
broader community
Enhance the knowledge & abilities of
faculty/directors/deans to continue with
program updating
Associate Degree Nursing CIP
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Every one will have a voice
Stay informed & get involved
http://ADN-CIP.waketech.edu
E-mail me at: ceblackw@waketech.edu
Call me at: 919-250-4334
Know your college’s representative and give
them your input
Technology Focus Group
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Web-based instruction
Investigate the implementation of online hybrid
nursing courses
Recommend appropriate software, assess use of
PDAs, iPods, streaming video, etc.
Assess opportunities and mechanisms for
resource sharing among institutions.
Research Focus Group
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Conduct literature searches
Using evidenced-based practice in the design of a
nursing curriculum
 Designing a conceptual based curriculum
 Healthy People 2010
 NLN standards
 Institute of Medicine Report, “Health Professions
Education: A Bridge to Quality”
 Board of Nursing “5 Practice Competencies”
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Professional Development Focus
Group
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Conduct a needs assessment of nursing faculty
across the state and recommend professional
development topics, locations, and speakers
Conceptual vs content based curriculum
 NLN Core Competencies
 Evidenced-based practice
 Informatics, technology, simulations
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Simulations Focus Group
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Develop plans and cost analysis for simulation
laboratories.
Develop recommendations for purchasing equipment
in stages, sharing equipment among institutions, faculty
education of equipment, and obtaining grant support
for purchasing equipment.
Arrange a “Simulation Fair” at one of our future
meetings so vendors can showcase and demo
equipment
How Did They Do That Focus
Group
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What are the best ADN programs in the nation doing
that we are not?
How do we measure up? Who are the national “flag
ship’ ADN programs and how did they get this
distinction?
Which states have the most cohesive, successful
community college ADN programs and how may we
achieve that status?
In the North Carolina Community College System,
what are the ADN programs doing that we need to be
proud of ? Find the “one thing” that each college does
great