NR 525 Week 3 Case Study Discussion: Part III Summary and Decision
Week 3: Case Study Part III Summary and Decision 27 31
Prior to the end of
... [Show More] the week, summarize the findings of the case study. The summary post is to identify at least three (3) key points about the skills policy and faculty preparation as well as your decision on the grievance. Does Susie Student fail the course or will she be allowed to repeat the skills testing and move on in the program? State a rationale for your decision.
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Dr Brewer
The skills policy I primarily used was Finger Lakes Community College,it clearly identifies the number of (1) attempts for testing,being 3 attempts.(2) The consequences of failure,being failure for the course. (3) How the skill is graded , being a satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
The staff has done their part by making the skills lab as 'real' as possible with equipment and supplies. There was also opportunity given for guided practice (remediation) for Susie.The student must also approach this experience the same way by treating the situation as 'real'. These skills impact patient safety and that is why the lecture/lesson reflects the 'why' and the the skill reflects 'how'.Students need to connect their personal effort and academic performance to their success (Mannahan & Gray,2015).
Expectations are delineated in the course program with consequences listed for not meeting the objectives.Susie has failed to meet the expectations so she needs to be removed from the program. She has failed the 3 attempts in the skills lab. She also has a responsibility to discuss with her instructor her struggles with the skills.Her appeal was one that it was the instructor's fault and not that she has practiced and took advantage of the staff's assistance in practice lab.
Anna Hines
Mannahan,K.,Gray,J.(2015)Exploring students' perceptions of the connection between personal effort and academic performance.Georgia Educational Researcher 12 (2). doi:10.20429/ger.2015.120202
(http Kathleen Brewer (Instructor)
Mar 22, 2019
Dear Anna:
Thanks for sharing your information. So as you reflect and analysis the situation, do you believe Susie ultimately passed the lab skills exam? Thanks for the discussion.
Regards, Kathleen
(http Anna Hines
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/65203)
Mar 22, 2019
Dr Brewer
Lack of knowledge and skills puts patients in unsafe levels of care (Potter,2017).Being unable to accomplish the sterile dressing skill after practicing,lecture,testing three times plus remediation,Susie's energy would be best served elsewhere.She has not shown personal responsibility as she stated her failure was the instructor's fault.The unsafe lack of skill along with the unprofessional attitude,I believe Susie did not pass the skills lab exam.
(https:/ LoriAnn Kirkpatrick
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/22706)
Mar 22, 2019
Dr. Brewer,
As chairperson, it is important to take a grievance received from a student, seriously. By receiving and reviewing the email from Susie, there are important steps that must be followed before a decision can be made. The decision must be made on a case by case bases and on facts, with reviewing one’s own past experiences and personal reflection on the situation (DeBrew & Lewallen, 2016, p. 635). The decision is not to be based on one factor but to include the facts, the policies and procedures as well as the competency of the student.
The first step was to interview both parties to see if procedures and polices where followed. It is important to review if Susie, participated in all per skills lab assignments, if she is passing all her courses and if she was struggling in her assignments or others skills in the lab. If she was struggling, did she ask for assistance and did the instructors notice with offering assistance to her. If it is the instructor who has not followed the polices or procedures, then the instructors method of teaching may need to be reviewed to ensure that they have had formal training, in order to effectively teach (Holcomb & Chudgar, 2018).
The second step is to identify if Susie followed and met the course objectives. The objectives will assist to identify if the student has an understanding of theory, to include evaluation of her behavior, professionalism, adherence on the dress code and punctuality during the course (DeBrew & Lewallen, 2016, 632). It is also important to identify if this is the only student and what
is the percentage of the students who have failed this skill. Depending on the number of students who have failed, will assist in identifying if it is the instructor has failed to teach the course objectives. If Susie is the only student who has failed, then it is the student who has failed to learn the objectives (Tawfik, Rong, & Choi, 2015).
The third step would be to identify if the student is competent and able to demonstrate the skill correctly and effectively. If she is able to do this then it will show that she is competent with being aware of how importance proper hand washing, donning and doffing sterile gloves, sterile fields and maintaining a sterile technique during a task.
After reviewing the facts and interviews from both parties, one needs to be objective and then come to a decision. It is important to take into account that the student has taken the courage to challenge her results of the skills test, as she wants to stay in the program.
As chairperson and after reviewing her over all accomplishment and grades to date, I will allow Susie to state the steps to the skill and then met her in the skills lab following the meeting, to be tested on the skill. If Susie is able to state the appropriate steps to preforming sterile technique, with full rational and then demonstrate the skill without flaw, then I will allow her to stay in the program. After she has passed the sterile procedure skills lab then I will request her to teach the skill to a fellow students in the skills lab. This will allow for the student to become comfortable, confident and prepared to preform the skill in the future (Holcomb & Chudgar, 2018). It is important that a student follows sterile procedures in the skills lab as when these skills are performed on live patients, it is imperative to reduce and prevent infections as it can be costly to the facility and or cost a patient their life.
Reference
DeBrew, J., & Lewallen, L. (2016). To pass or to fail? Understanding the factors considered by faculty in the clinical evaluation of nursing students. Nurse Educator Today, 34(4), 631-636. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2013.05.014
Holcomb, Z., & Chudgar, S. (2018). See one, do one, teach …a lifetime. Clinical Teacher, 15(1), 73-75. doi:10.1111/tct.12671
Tawfik, A., Rong, H., & Choi, I. (2015). Failing to learn: towards a unified design approach for failure-based learning. Education Technology Research Development, 63(6), 975-994. doi:10.1007/s11423-015-9399-0
(http Kathleen Brewer (Instructor)
Mar 22, 2019
Dear Lori Ann:
I appreciate the way you presented the information and made your decision. By this I mean, you reflected on all facts of this case and rendered a decision based on objectivity. Great synthesis.
Regards, Kathleen
(http LoriAnn Kirkpatrick
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/22706)
Mar 23, 2019
Dr. Brewer,
Thank you for support in my decision. I firmly believe that a decision must be based on facts, not on one side of a complaint and that if someone is able to have the courage to challenge an outcome, shows that they have passion and are owed the opportunity to be heard. I also believe that there are 3 sides to a story and in this case it is, the instructor, the student and the truth.
In this case, it is my personal opinion that her claim that the instructor has used excessive interpretation be left out at this time. I feel that her emotions may have gotten the best of her when she found out that she failed. I believe that if
there was an issue with the instructors’ behavior or a question of her character, that it would have been brought up earlier in the course of the program.
I feel that Susie many have been overwhelmed and distraught when she found out her results. With the exercises that I provided to her will allow her to self-reflect the events and how she may have interpreted the situation. Then during her reflection she may be able to understand that the instructor may have not have used excessive interpretation but that her nerves may have gotten the best of her. It is with self-reflection that she will be able to identify that when she found out that she failed, she was not able to calmly respond to that stressful situation (Boynton, 2017).
LoriAnn
Reference
Boynton, B. (2017). All successful nurses have this one thing. Nurse.org, (July). Retrieved from March 23, 2019 from https://nurse.org/articles/nursing-career-emotional-intelligence/
(http Jenna Manzione
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/48618)
Mar 24, 2019
Lori Ann,
I love your response and agree with the evaluation of Susie's prior performance to gauge if this student is credible in her grievance. Candidates who have a history of failure throughout a nursing program, or demonstrate a pattern of work that is poor and show no improvement are at risk for failure to complete the program (Cascoe, Stanley, Stennett, & Allen, 2017). If these students are not remediated or able to graduate without a true understanding of the seriousness of nursing may also experience challenges in adapting to the clinical area; have difficulty organizing their time and may struggle in integrating previous knowledge into the current management of the patients (Cascoe et, al. 2017). On the other side I am also aware of failing something and this giving me the resolve to work harder. If Susie is someone that just made a mistake understands the error is fighting for safety honesty and integrity then I would absolutely give her another chance.
Cascoe, K., Stanley, S., Stennett, R., & Allen, C. (2017). Undergraduate nursing students at risk of failure. Nurse Education Today, 52, 121–122. https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.12.021
Lore5a Gorecki
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/66298)
Mar 22, 2019
Dr. Brewer and class,
Taking into consideration the interview with the student and the teacher to determine skills policy and reasoning for student’s failure. The school’s policy is clearly defined, on the number of retakes available for a failing student, in addition to remediation policies and ultimately the consequences of failure. It was determined the student followed school policies but still failed the course skills examination.
Upon review of the faculty preparation, it is determined the faculty followed and planned the curriculum and the guidelines set forth by the school to ensure enhancement and development of nursing skills. The effectiveness of the faculty in teaching this curriculum is demonstrated, as Susie Student was the only student to fail, this skills examination.
Every student was held to the same grading outlines and it is determined there was no evidence of excessive personal interpretation. The decision to uphold the instructor’s grade of failing the skills exam stands.
Fortunately for this student, the policy of Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) allows a onetime retake if certain criteria are met. Based on the skills policy of Finger Lakes Community College, The decision would be to allow Susie student to utilize the one time additional testing option as she currently meets the following criteria: Susie student has attempted the competency at least once prior to the specified deadline, Susie Student’s academic average at time of testing is 74% or higher, the students clinical performance is satisfactory at time of failed competency and the student has NOT required additional testing for any other competency during the semester. If she passes this one time re-take she passes the course and is allowed to move on. If
the student fails, this opportunity she will fail the course. Additional testing must be completed by the student within one week of the original competency due date.
It will be the responsibility of the student to seek remedial assistance from course instructors prior to the skills re-examination.
(http Kathleen Brewer (Instructor)
Mar 22, 2019
(https:/ April Herron
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/52245)
Mar 22, 2019
In order for a determination on this complaint to be concluded we must first review the situation and description of the complaint in detail. Susie Student is a second-semester nursing student who has recently failed the Final Skills Exam on sterile technique. Per the Nursing Skills Policy this failure has caused Ms. Student to fail the course. Ms. Student challenged this determination by stating the instructor “used excessive personal interpretation of the skills and its guideline”. The Grievance Committee has convened to establish a final determination. The Grievance Committee has developed two questions per party (faculty, student) these questions include:
Faculty
1.) Explain your process of testing a student on sterile procedure, including any comments you convey during the testing. 2.) Explain how the student failed the sterile procedure based on both knowledge and skills demonstrated by the student.
Student
1.) Explain how the faculty member used excessive person interpretation of the skill and what guidelines did they use (hospital/course skills).
2.) Please explain what part of the process or sterilization that you failed, how and why?
These questions were designed to provide open communication between the parties involved to obtain additional information pertaining to the complaint. Three aspects or key points that nursing instructors can learn from this incident include:
1.) Maintaining consistent teaching methods- free of bias or personal interpretation 2.) Explain examination instructions, requirements, and rules prior to testing
3.) Explain to student why and how they failed their exam
Based on the information provided by Susie and the faculty instructor we can assume that Susie is well aware of how skills testing is conducted since she is in her second semester. Ms. Student like the rest of her classmates received a student handbook prior to the start of her course which outlines inclusion and exclusion criteria required to pass the course. Therefore, Ms. Student has been notified of these requirements and has failed to maintain what is required of her in the course outline.
Whether the instructor provided personal interpretation or not Susie was expected to perform sterile techniques which is a hands-on skill and she was not able to pass per the curriculum set by the school. That being said the Grievance Committee
stands by the original evaluation/grade and Ms. Student will need to retake this course. The reason for this ruling is based on the belief that a comprehensive curriculum fosters both fairness and well-trained nurses. According to Koestler, nursing programs that focus on a progressive policy geared toward higher academic aptitudes, all- encompassing course outlines and curriculums increases post graduate success rates on the NCLEX exam (2015). Though the Grievance Committees final verdict may not be favorable to Ms. Student, she inevitably will be more prepared and hopefully strive harder in her next attempt.
Reference:
Koestler, D. L. (2015). Improving nclex-rn first-time pass rates with a balanced curriculum. Nursing Education Perspectives (National League for Nursing), 36(1), 55–57. https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.5480/11-591.1
After doing some research and reviewing everyone’s post most schools have some sort of remediation policy. They all seem to have the student either remediate with an instructor or write a reflection on what they did wrong and how they can improve. The point of the remediation period is to give the student a chance to reflect on their first performance and practice where they need to improve.
2. Students should be able to have more than 1 chance to pass their skills test
Most school allow the students up to 3 chances to pass the skills test before they fail the course. This gives the student an opportunity to practice and perfect their skill before taking the exam again. There can be many factors that contribute to a student not being successful, so it is only fair to allow the student another opportunity.
3. Instructors have an impact on the success of their students even in the skills lab.
Instructors are there in the lab when the student is practicing the skills in order to help teach them the proper techniques. They are the ones who are assessing them and grading them during their tests, and they are the ones helping the students who are not successful. It is important for the instructors to realize and keep in mind that they students are not going to be perfect off the bat and some students might need more attention than others. The instructors should use their experience and knowledge to help the students learn and perfect these skills that they will end up doing on a daily basis in the real nursing world.
After the case study this week and review different school policies I believe that Susie deserves at least 3 chances to pass the skills exam. There was a reason that she failed the first time, she should be able to remediate with the instructor and practice the skill in order to improve. Susie might have not been properly prepared, the instructor might have been too tough or unfair on her, or she might really just need to improve a few aspects of the skill. Either way she deserves a chance to practice, improve and repeat the skills exam.
Thanks,
(https:/ Gisela Tong
(h5ps: /chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/40415/users/8668)
Mar 23, 2019
Hi Dr. Brewer and class,
The three key points I like to discuss are
1. The skills policy (i.e., participation, assignments, tests, and grading) is created to ensure and uphold effective teaching and learning process. Faculty and staff members should familiar themselves of the policy to promote and support its implementation (Erdag, 2017). Students should know and follow the policy for successful learning and program completion (Erdag, 2017). The college creates the policy to maintain the school’s standard and its place as a reputable nursing school; therefore, the college must honor it.
2. Nurse educators have duty to teach, coach, and mentor current and future generation of nurses to make sure they are skilled and competent to provide high quality and safe patient care (Timmins et al., 2017). They are not only responsible to follow and abide by standard nursing practices and procedures to promote culture of safety, but they are also role models who guide students in learning what it means to be nurses and embedded safety culture (Timmins et al., 2017).
3. Other roles of a nurse educator include developing clinical or lab curriculum and syllabus, assessing, and supervising students in clinical and/or skills lab (Erdag, 2017). As a staff educator, he/she undergoes training and preparation and is
expected to keep up with own nursing skills and competencies (Timmins et al., 2017). When a faculty follows program
standards and policy, the college entrusts them with his/her judgment and decision.
Following the ABC Community College skills lab policy, the committee has decided that the student, Susie, fails the course and must repeat it if she wants to stay in the program. As the chair committee, I expect school faculties and staffs to follow established rules, standards, and procedures and support them. As a nurse educator, I am to assure students receive high quality of educational experiences. I am responsible to be a good teacher, mentor, and role model to teach and implement
evidence-based nursing practice to promote patient safety. This is not an easy decision. However, in healthcare, one unsafe practice may cause a human life.
Thank you. Gisela
References
Erdag, C. (2017). Accountability policies at schools: A study of path analysis. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 17(4), 1405–1432. Retrieved from https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1148382&site=eds-live&scope=site
Timmins, F., Cassidy, S., Nugent, O., [Show Less]