SPECIAL SESSION: Working Together to Advance the Science of Nursing Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Description/Overview: Schools of nursing around the world are being challenged by 1) a persistent shortage of nurses and the concomitant demands to increase student enrollments, 2) global concerns about the safety of healthcare, 3) constant change in healthcare delivery, technology, and expectations of entry level practitioners, 4) a significant shortage of teachers, particularly those prepared for the teaching role, and 5) declining budgets that are requiring teachers to do more with fewer resources. Virtually every school of nursing is attempting to meet these challenges by implementing significant curricular or instructional reform. However, without a strong disciplinary commitment to advancing the science of nursing education, change is implemented based on anecdotal evidence and tradition rather than on a systematic, rigorous science that documents the relevance, efficacy, cost and significance of these changes over time. Participants in this special session will explore the critical research questions facing those seeking to transform the ways nurses are prepared for practice and identify opportunities to design, conduct, and disseminate research in ways that maximize the quality, scope, and rigor of the evidence informing pedagogical decisions.