Little evidence exists to guide dialysis nurse educators in the selection of the most appropriate type of instructional technologies to use when teaching hemodialysis staff cannulation skills, yet there is a need for staff to demonstrate safe performance of skills prior to performing them in hemodialysis settings. The cannulation of a dialysis access is a required mastery skill in the hemodialysis setting, because dialysis accesses is the mean by which hemodialysis treatments are accomplished. Dialysis accesses allows hemodialysis staff the ability to access the patient’s blood. Injuries and infections of dialysis accesses are extremely common therefore, it is vital that dialysis nurse educators identify effective and efficient teaching methods to be used in teaching cannulation skills. The learning activities are designed to facilitate discussion, demonstration, problem solving, role playing, and critical thinking among the learners.
In order for learners to move from a lower level order of thinking to a higher-level order of thinking successfully, learners must follow an orderly systematic approach. The ASSURE model is a six-step instructional model that incorporates Roberts Gagne's 9 Events of instruction when presenting or delivering any form of educational content to novice or expert learners. The ASSURE model and Robert Gagne’s 9 Events of Instruction design provides a systematic way to present content. The ASSURE model was utilized to effectively integrate the use of technology and media to enhance students learning. The ASSURE model is an effective teaching model that could be applied within the core curriculum for nursing staff. The ASSURE model will allow nurse educators to conduct detailed assessments staffs’ ability to perform cannulation techniques safely and correctly, and organized their thinking processes. In this article, I will discuss the basic principles of the ASSURE model and Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction and its value when teaching the procedure for cannulating a vascular access using the ASSURE model and Robert Gagne's 9 events of instruction.