Scenario 1: Teaching a newly diagnosed type II diabetic patient the importance of monitoring his/her blood glucose level.
This scenario will require applying connectivism theory of learning to help the patient effectively comprehend the importance of monitoring blood glucose level in the body. Connectivism theory is relevant in this scenario since it requires that the patient needs knowledge to assimilate the importance of monitoring his or her blood glucose level. The patient has to be active and learn as the process of learning is carried on. James states that, “Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning” (2013). The theory makes learning contextual as the patient has to connect the information he has concerning the blood glucose and type II diabetes. The teaching strategy by the nurse will include finding out any prior knowledge that the patient has considering the scenario before actually teaching the type II diabetes patient the importance of monitoring the blood glucose. Using of raw data as well as sources of information such as the internet and other digital media like TV shows to encourage the patient connect the available information and learn the importance of monitoring the blood sugar level. According to Brooks (1993), it is very crucial to give sufficient time for the learner to come up with their own meaning while learning something new. The nurse would therefore allow the patient to come up with or the nurse pose questions regarding the topic, and allow time think critically and hence be able to respond thoughtfully and appropriately. Allowing communication between the nurse and the patient will be a pivotal aspect that will encourage understanding and grasping of the concept of monitoring the blood glucose in the patient’s body. Communication between the nurse and patient as well as connecting with the knowledge that patient already has creates and interactive moment that will effectively encourage grasping of the concept.
Scenario 2: Teaching a student how to insert a nasogastric tube in patient suffering from nausea following recent abdominal surgery
Cognitivism theory of learning will be applicable given this scenario. For a student to learn how to insert a nasogastric tube in patient suffering from nausea following recent abdominal surgery, he or she needs to be an active participant during the learning period. The student needs to apply different strategies so as to build up personal understanding of the process of inserting of a nasogastric tube in patient. The teaching strategies for the nurse will range from evaluation of the student’s understanding to assimilation and practical application of the knowledge and skills learnt. One of the teaching strategies that the nurse would use to teach the student is by facilitating interaction of the student with the relevant material such as procedure literature prior to the learning exercise. During learning the nurse has to create chances for the student to analyze the scenario, take risks and insist on grasp of how to insert the tube into patient. This will include demonstration to the student and also letting the student demonstrate under the nurse’s watch and monitoring. The nurse has to ensure that the learner effectively integrates the mental processes like thinking, memory knowing as well as the problem solving. Such a teaching strategy minimizes the cases of the student making errors which are not welcome since nausea patient may be having his life at stake with increased errors. This way the student is also able to make up his own meaningful connections (Learning Theory Exposed: Cognitivism key points, 2013). The nurse can ensure that the student creates time to grow and develop the metacognitive skills which will allow the student to understand and apply practically the process of inserting the nasogastric tube into the patient suffering from nausea after an abdominal surgery.
Scenario 3: Conducting a session for the general public about how to stop smoking cigarettes
A nurse carrying out a session to the general public concerning how to stop smoking cigarettes can use behaviorism theory to ensure that the general understands the concept. This theory is based on the beliefs that behaviors can be accounted for, trained as well as changed. This theory takes an assumption that the learner is passive reacting to the environmental stimuli. A person or learner begins with a clean slate while his or her behavior later is driven by both positive and negative stimuli. Whether the reinforcement is positive or negative, it raises chances of an event recurring. Positive stimuli will call for carrying on the activity causing the stimuli while a negative stimuli will mean the avoiding of the events leading to the stimuli (Skinner, 2006). Transferring knowledge from the nurse to the general public she is addressing will importantly consist of informing the public of the action appropriate to cause a particular stimuli. The nurse will therefore have to table to the general public goods examples of repeated actions that cause specific stimuli. From this scenario, the nurse should be in a position to convince the public on how making certain actions or behaviors and their reinforcement can help one to stop smoking cigarette. The nurse will have to demonstrate how smokers can continuously attempt to change their behavior up to the point when they get positive reinforcement. Giving several examples is advisable as this will be a motivation to the smokers.
Scenario 4: Teaching a new mother how to breast feed
Teaching a new mother how to breast feed, a nurse would apply the theory of constructivism. The leaner who is a mother in this case will would have to build up knowledge by herself based on keen observation and study. As the child tries to feed the mother makes observations and keenly studies the baby and consequently learns to breast feed by herself. According to the University of Sydney, the leaners get knowledge and understanding through their own experiences (2013). One of the best teaching strategies that the nurse should consider apply to the mother learning how to breast feed is having in mind that every mother has her own unique way of learning how to breast feed. This explains that the nurse does not have to limit herself on a single style of breast feeding as this will limit the mother from attaining maximum potential through her own experience of breast feeding the baby. Allowing the mother learn her own way of breast feeding will enable her grasp one specific method that she is comfortable with and best feeds her. According to the NDT resources (Constructivist Learning Theory, 2013) some leaners grasp the concept better getting lost and discovering the right way their own style. Knowledge gained through personal experience most likely to be grasped for a lifetime. The nurse should monitor the mother as she breast feeds own her own and later make recommendations that will be fundamentally constructive for the feeding style of a specific mother at hand. Letting the mother try different breast feeding styles will finally lead to the best method that fits the mother.
Scenario 5: Teaching a colleague how to conduct a clinical assessment of a student nurse
A nurse teaching a colleague on how to conduct a clinical assessment of a student nurse can apply the connectivism theory of learning. The theory is based on the fact that learning is a progressive activity. The theory is believed to rely upon a number of observations made concerning significant trends in the process. The teaching strategy by the nurse will include finding out any prior knowledge that the colleague has considering the scenario before actually teaching her how to conduct a clinical assessment of a student nurse. Using of raw data as well as sources of information such as the internet and other digital media like documentary shows to encourage the colleague connect the available information and learn how to conduct a clinical assessment of a student nurse. It is very crucial to give sufficient time for the learner to come up with their own meaning while teaching something new (Brooks, 1993). The nurse would therefore allow her colleague to come up with or the nurse pose questions regarding the topic, and allow time think critically and hence be able to respond thoughtfully and appropriately. Allowing effective communication between them will be a pivotal aspect that will encourage understanding and grasping of the concept of how to conduct a clinical assessment of a student nurse. Communication between the nurse and colleague as well as connecting with the knowledge that collogue already has creates an interactive moment that will effectively encourage grasping of the concept.
Scenario 6: Teaching yourself how to use a new piece of clinical technology
Teaching one on how to use a new piece of clinical technology will call for the application of the constructivism theory of learning. This theory advocates for learning of something through person observations and keen study. It lets one construct her own knowledge through self-learning. As attempts to learn on her own how to use a new piece of clinical technology she makes observations and keenly studies the new technology and consequently learns to operate it by herself. According to Rodriguez, the leaners get knowledge and understanding through their own experiences (1998). One of the best teaching strategies that the nurse should consider apply to herself learning how to use a new piece of technology is having in mind that every person has her own unique way of learning things. This explains that the nurse does not have to limit herself on a single specific way of learning how to operate a new technology as this will limit her from attaining maximum potential through her own experience with the new piece of clinical technology. Allowing herself learn her own way will enable her grasp one specific method of operating the new piece of technology which she is comfortable with and best matches her (Ormrod & Jeanne, 2012). Some leaners grasp the concept better getting lost and discovering the right way their own style. Knowledge gained through personal experience most likely to be grasped for a lifetime.
Scenario 7: Helping a student empathize with patients who are given ‘bad news’
For a nurse help a student empathize with patients who are given “bad news” she needs to make use of the behaviorism theory of learning. The theory was founded on the grounds that behaviors are measured, trained as well as they can be changed. A student that try to be in the shoes of the patients during bad news. To do this such students can be thought how to empathize with the patients during such times by adopting stimuli through repeated attempts to be in the shoes of the patients at the receipt of bad news. Transferring knowledge from the nurse to the student on how to deal with such cases requires addressing most importantly the way to behave in case of bad news for patients through appropriate action to causes a particular stimuli of showing sympathy. The nurse will therefore have to table to present to the student goods relevant examples of repeated actions that cause sympathy stimuli. The nurse will have to demonstrate how student can continuously attempt to change her mood when bad news are received and suit the feelings of the respective patients. Repeated change of mood to empathize with patients will finally create a behavior which is automatic and constant, such that each time a patient has bad needs the student automatically empathizes with such a patient without her knowledge of the action causing the stimuli (Taylor, 2008).
Scenario 8: Helping students to clarify their opinion about a controversial topic e.g. euthanasia
References
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