I. Introduction
Courses are not only meant to impart knowledge on the learner but should also be formulated in a way that they allow the learner to be a position to meet set objectives and goals. Most of the nursing courses that I have gone through are mostly class based. From this kind of set up there are the set goals and objectives by the class instructor as well as my personal goals that I work hard to meet. One thing that is important to understand is that I do not consider a course as being a success if I do not meet both the goals set by the class instructor and those that I set for myself. Therefore the learning process is a two way. The instructor has to play his role adequately by making sure that the learner is exposed to conducive environment quality learning. On o have the other hand; the learner has to have an internal drive so as to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the classes under instructions. This paper intends to evaluate my introductory course to the nursing program and how the course was able to meet the criteria set by the instructor and those set by myself.
II. What expected outcomes were identified?
The expected outcomes for this program were that each student had to be able to learn the foundational elements of a career in nursing. The first important element that the student had to be able to meet was the idea of ethics and discipline. Ethics and discipline in any given career is very important. Each student has to have the ability to follow instructions at all time. One thing that is important to realize is that the nursing career entails working with the life of individuals. The ability of patients to be able to survive in some incidences depends on the professionalism of the attending nurse and the ability of that particular nurse to follow instructions.
Therefore, incidences of indiscipline within the nursing career can lead to the loss of life of a patient which could have been saved if the nurse had demonstrated more discipline in his line of duty (Butt, 2005, p.63). The instructors worked closely with me by encouraging me to maintain a positive mind at all times. My instructors made it clear that for anyone to be successful in any given career discipline is fundamental. In fact, it is because of adherence to discipline that people in different careers are able to get promotions within their careers. Therefore, there was no short cut to following instruction, it was mandatory and had to be observed at all times.
The second important outcome that the course had identified was the ability of the student to develop better communication skills. Communication skills are important in the nursing career in that nurses interact on a daily basis with peoples of all walks. First of all, nurses have to be able to communicate effectively with their employers in that they have to explain their progress to the administrators and ask for aid if there are things that are not working well for them(Timmins, 2006, p.37). Lack of good communication skills between the administration and the nurses may at times lead to the loss of lives. It is important to understand that nurses work is to assist doctors in their treatment work. Therefore, if a nurse does not report the progress of a patient to the doctor effectively then there might be instructions that at times may be contradictory.
For example, doctors and nurses have to communicate on ideas like the reaction of patient to medicine and the general recovery process of the patient. In this way the doctor can adequately understand the progress of the patient so that he or she can be able to prescribe effective medical measures. Communication also moves outside the walls of the nursing facilities. Nurses have to be able to learn how to communicate with the relatives of patients and explain to them the progress that their loved one is making. It is important to realize that the nursing industry is a business like any other. Therefore, nurses must enhance professionalism so that to attract prospective patients to the services of their facilities. Actions of rudeness in the part of nurses may at times deter patients from seeking help in some nursing facilities. Patients always like to be treated in comfortable environment in which they are assured of a careful and king recovery environment. The introductory course that I took met this criterion by making sure that I clearly understood the correct terminology for the nursing industry. In this way, I could be able to effectively communicate with other workers within the nursing industry. I made a lot of progress with regard to this criterion.
The third important outcome that was identified in the introductory course was team work. Students who were taking the nursing program were expected to be able to work in teams. This is because the nursing industry is a career that requires people to work together. Team work allows nurses to be able to seek for help from other nurses or other personnel in the nursing industry in case they are facing challenges within their line of duty (Turner, 2007, p.41). Lack of team work may at times cause a nurse to be fatigued during his or her work. When fatigue features in the working environment the quality of work presented tends to be low. Therefore, it is important for nurses to work together so that they can be able to help each other in both physically, and through offering moral support (Hartley, 2004, p.505). The introductory course was able to impart team work within by allocating projects that had to complete in teams. Therefore, the more input that every team member puts in the project the more students are able to accomplish better results.
III. In what way(s) were the outcomes specific to the target population? (the intended audience)
The three outcomes mentioned above were specific to the target population. First of all the idea of discipline is something that targeted the nursing workforce. By being disciplined and adhering to the instructions put forward by the administrators, nurses could be able to handle situations that face them in a professional way. Discipline within the nursing workforce also protects the reputation of the nursing facility. Therefore the first outcome of discipline and ethics targeted specifically the nursing workforce but affected all the other entities that interact with the nursing facilities. This would include patients, business partners and the general public.
The second outcome was the development of communication skills. This outcome targeted the nursing workforce. Nurses have to be in apposition to communicate well with both their counterparts, administrators, patients and members of the general public. Though communication skills seem to only target the nursing workforce, it also targets other people working in the nursing industry which would include doctors and other medical personnel.
IV. To what extent were the outcomes measurable with a timeframe for completion?
The outcomes were measurable after the completion of the course. At the end of the introductory course I had developed a personal initiative to follow instructions. I felt that discipline with the job environment is important for the success of the nursing industries. By the end of the introductory course I did not need instructors to follow me around so as to ascertain that I was doing the correct thing at any given time. The ability to follow instructions begun to feel natural. This accounts for reason as to why I was able to take up more courses in that discipline is a key component of virtually all the courses in the nursing program.
My communication skills had grown immensely after to completion of the introductory course. I was able to apply the terminologies that I had learnt in the course in my daily operations and interaction with both patients and administrators. In addition, after completing the course I valued team work in that I clearly understood that the nursing industry requires that people work together due to the kind of care that patients require in order to feel comfortable.
V. To what extent were learner objectives specific enough for prospective students?
The outlining of the outcomes required for the successful completion of the course creates a challenge for prospective student. Prospective students must be prepared to meet the objectives set for the course if they are to successfully complete the course. The specify of the objectives is also fundamental in that prospective learners understand what is required of them before taking the course. Therefore, failure to work towards meeting the set objectives could only be treated as being ignorance.
VI. What was the relationship between the outcomes and the objectives?
The relationship between outcomes and objectives is that learners had to work towards meeting the set objectives so that they could realize the desired outcome for the course. Therefore, one cannot realize the required outcome for this course unless one works towards meeting the set objectives for the course. In a nutshell, the fulfillment of the set objectives helps to meet the outcomes that are identified for the course.
VII. What learning theory do you think served as the foundation for this course? What reason(s) do you have to believe this?
The learning theories that served as the foundation of the course are the idea that a learner should maximally utilize his potential through collective responsibility. This means that the learner has the responsibility of making sure that they dedicate their energy and concentration to the course if they are to realize the set outcome. This means that it is not only the instructor who is required to participate in learning process but the student has to play an active role in making sure that the knowledge acquired from the instructor is utilized maximally so as to better their skills and professionalism.
References
Butts, J., B. (2005). Nursing ethics: across the curriculum and into practice.
London: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Hartley, C. L. (2004). Nursing in today's world: trends, issues & management.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers.
Timmins, F. (2006). Communication skills for nursing practice. New York:
Palgrave MacMillan Publishers.
Turner, S. O. (2007). The nursing career planning guide . London: Jones &
Bartlett Publishers.
