UMSON is working toward implementation of competency-based education at the BSN, MSN, and DNP levels.
UMSON formed an American Association of Colleges of Nursing New Essentials Curricular Revisions Taskforce in May 2021, composed of subgroups focused on specific aspects of the revisions:
- curriculum (core courses, specialty/role-specific courses)
- faculty development
- resource (faculty workload, information and learning technologies, statistical/evaluation support)
- simulation
- student services
- ad hoc (curriculum committees; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and student liaisons).
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) team is launching a new curriculum this fall, and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) teams are working toward implementation of new curricula in fall 2024.
The new BSN curriculum was recently approved by Maryland Higher Education Commission and includes:
- two electives for Gen Z learners
- community and public health nursing concepts threaded throughout curriculum
- a first-semester focus on wellness, health promotion, and prevention
- a new required palliative and symptom management course
- two professionalism courses (one at the start of the program and one at the end) with a new focus on resiliency
- an improved orientation with mini-orientation check-ins each semester
- increased clinical hours and clinical partnerships.
In addition, a new clinical evaluation tool will reflect the Essentials and competency-based education, and two clinical practice pilot initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System, the Practicum to Practice Partnership and the Academy of Clinical Essentials, provide opportunities for students to complete a practicum on a unit they are hired to post-graduation, and to complete 12-hour shifts in mixed groups of fundamentals and more advanced students on a unit with a dedicated clinical instructor provided by the hospital.
The MSN and DNP programs completed the painstaking process of mapping 133 courses to the new Essentials’ 10 domains/45 competencies/204 Level 2 subcompetencies in May 2022. To do this, the taskforce developed seven mapping analysis templates for the various plans of study, and asked four key questions at the course and program levels:
- Was the domain addressed?
- How fully was the competency addressed and to what degree?
- To what degree were the subcompetencies addressed?
- What story does the data tell us?
Building on our successful programs, national reputation, and strong certification pass rates, we used this mapping process as a period of self-study and a new benchmark, moving forward. UMSON Dean Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, sponsored a daylong retreat in June, during which faculty and staff discussed the mapping, gapping, and action toward competency-based education, with expert speakers and working group breakout sessions.
Faculty teams are now completing a SWOTA (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Take Action) analysis integrating the mapping analysis and delving into strategies to meet the charge of competency-based education: signature assignments, rubrics, simulation, technology/AI, community experiences/learning activities/Exam Soft. We are prioritizing frequent faculty development and engaging our practice partners in the revisions process.
UMSON is proud to be leading the way in transforming academic nursing.
Questions? Want to get involved?
Contact:
- BSN: Maeve Howett
- MSN and DNP: Dawn Mueller-Burke