Paper
Thursday, July 12, 2007
This presentation is part of : Thinking Nursing: Connecting Student Learning for Evidence-Based Practice
Thinking Nursing through Patterns of Knowing
Mary Moberg, MS, RN, Jeannine Mueller-Harmon, MS-FNP, RN, Susan Forneris, PhD, RN, CRRN, CCM, and Kathleen Kalb, PhD, RN. Department of Nursing, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN, USA

This paper presents the findings of a case study evaluation of the use of the education model with first year nursing students.  The case study explores new nursing students’ learning around thinking nursing through the patterns of knowing within the context of their clinical experiences. Using case study research methodology, the education model was identified as the case. Through the use of narrative (story) and reflection, the nursing students were asked to write stories about their clinical experiences.  Clinical seminars were used as a forum to discuss their stories and reflect on their learning.  The data analysis involved searching for patterns among the stories and the consistency of those patterns across time and students.  Preliminary findings from this case study analysis reveal that the education model has a positive impact on the development of students’ thinking and the learning connections they make between the classroom and the clinical setting.  Analysis of their stories also suggests that students’ ability to begin thinking nursing within the context of their clinical experiences is facilitated by using the patterns of knowing.   The education model helps nurse educators to envision new possibilities for nursing curriculum that enhances nursing students’ connections between classroom learning and the context of evidence-based practice.