Integration of Motivational Interviewing into Nursing Curricula

Effective communication with clients and families is a skill nursing students must develop in order to facilitate understanding of health conditions and to assist clients in changing behavior to improve health and/or mitigate deterioration of health.  In the past, communication has focused on skills such as listening, conveying empathy, teaching patients about medications, and other treatments. While nurses take pride in providing patient education, they also realize that their efforts are often ineffective, as reflected in rising rates of obesity, smoking, and other chronic health conditions.  An evidenced-based, innovative strategy, Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a goal-directed, client-centered counseling approach to help patients increase intrinsic motivation and commitment for behavior change. Because of its demonstrated effectiveness across a range of settings and health conditions, MI is a valuable strategy for nurses. Thus, graduate and undergraduate nursing faculties have integrated MI into the graduate and undergraduate nursing curricula.   Students have found MI skills to be difficult to master and strategies designed to improve student skills will be shared. A variety of teaching strategies have been utilized with students including case studies, CD vignettes, role plays, short presentations, with application in the nursing students’ clinical settings. Opportunities for MI skill development have also been incorporated into high fidelity simulation experiences. The challenges in introducing and integrating MI into a nursing curriculum, including faculty acceptance and preparation,  will be explored. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the MI content and skill development will also be discussed. Nursing students were pre-tested using the VASE-R, a standardized video assessment of MI skills, and post-tested near the end of the program. Scores were compared. Results for both graduate and undergraduate nursing students will be presented and discussed.