A Leadership Development Project: Implementing a Change in Clinical Simulation

Mariani, Bette A.

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Bette A. Mariani, PhD, RN
College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, PA
Barbara J. Patterson, PhD, RN
School of Nursing, Widener University, Chester, PA

Learning Objective 1: discuss the leadership strategies that can be utilized to implement change within an academic program.

Learning Objective 2: describe how the nurse faculty mentorship relationship facilitated the project completion.

Implementing change can be a challenge on all levels, but effective leadership can be one strategy that facilitates the process. A leadership development project was implemented as part of the Nurse Faculty Mentored Leadership Development program. A project for change to a clinical simulation course component was the vehicle for leadership development and provided a chance to enhance the simulation experience for students. Faculty mentors and scholars worked together to develop exemplary leadership practices.

Clinical simulation has been identified in the literature as an effective strategy for learning; however, in many cases it is used as a teaching strategy. The goal of this project was to transform the clinical simulation experience in a junior level advanced medical surgical course, so that the students were active participants, problem solvers, and critical thinkers. The faculty were facilitators of the experience.

In order to achieve success in the project, it was necessary to identify and elicit the support of the key members of the project. Simulation laboratory staff, course faculty, and administrators were important to successful transition; and communication between the project leader, the course coordinator, and the simulation staff was crucial. The project leader and simulation staff worked in collaboration with the course coordinator to develop the scenario, and facilitate student and faculty preparation. Course faculty were kept well-informed of the changes and an interactive orientation session was held to prepare the course faculty for the change in the scenario format. The newly-developed clinical simulation was implemented in January 2011 with the support of the faculty and staff. Although the faculty and staff were supportive, the scholar leader did encounter challenges during the implementation of the project. The scholar and nurse faculty mentor met and communicated regularly to discuss the challenges, progress of the project, and leadership strategies.

See more of: Poster Session I - Nurse Faculty Mentored Leadership Development Program Invited Posters
See more of: Invited Posters