Sharing Resources through a Regional Educational Collaborative: An Innovative Strategy to Deliver Psychiatric-Mental Health Coursework

Tompkins-Dobbs, Karen

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Karen Tompkins-Dobbs, MSN¹
Cheryl K. Giefer, PhD, FNP-C²
Mary Carol G. Pomatto, EdD, ARNP-CNS³
Linda Bitner, MSN, EdS¹
(1)Department of Nursing, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
(2)Nursing, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
(3)Nursing Department, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to develop strategies, curriculum, and evaluation mechanisms for co-instruction of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing content.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to promote collaboration and articulation of students across institutions in ADN, BSN, and MSN programs.

Background: The current nursing faculty shortage and economic situation affecting higher education challenges nursing programs to devise innovative strategies to meet the educational needs of the student. As far back as 2005, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) conveyed a message stating the faculty nursing shortage had reached critical levels. The AACN is forming alliances with schools and policy makers to address these issues (2011). The Institute of Medicine (IOM) put forth in 2010 the statement relating the need for schools of nursing to collaborate with other professional schools combining their classroom resources and clinical training opportunities. These partnerships will build relationships and encourage continuous education on the continuum of higher education from associate level to baccalaureate level and beyond.

Significance: The Department of Nursing of Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, Labette Community College, Parsons, Kansas and Fort Scott Community College, Fort Scott, Kansas developed the Southeast Kansas Nursing Education Collaboration (SEKNEC). Institutional proximity and a long history of institutional partnering led to sharing of faculty and other resources for teaching/learning. The SEKNEC has been approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing as a pilot program. This collaboration was developed in answer to the shortage of mental health nursing faculty at the associate degree level and the request for assistance from the baccalaureate nursing program.

Summary Recommendations: In keeping with key recommendations from AACN and IOM, (encouraging collaboration amongst professional schools in an effort to combine classroom resources) the SEKNEC plans to continue development and implementation of this strategy for delivering Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing content. This collaborative effort will maximize student learning experiences through shared faculty expertise and university resources. The pilot project will be evaluated by student and faculty satisfaction and ongoing peer review of module development.

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