Curriculum

Development

Sharon A. Denham, PhD, RN, CNE

Professor, Houston J. &Florence A. Doswell Endowed Chair in Nursing for Teaching Excellence

Objectives

Describe various methods used to develop nursing curriculum.

Explain some key processes linked with nursing curriculum
development.
Discuss ways faculty members participate in curriculum revision and
development.
Explain the steps associated with using the CCNE Essentials, NCLEX,
DECs, and other nursing standards, rules, and evidence guide
curriculum development.
Identify ways content, teaching strategies, and evaluation align in
curriculum development process.

Faculty Roles
Leadership
Decide what is in and what is out
Identify ways to implement the changes
Assure the effectiveness of teaching methods,
learning activities, student learning outcomes
Evidence-based practice
Life-long learners

Faculty Roles in Curriculum

Development
Faculty have ultimate responsibility - Curriculum
contains the heart & soul of clinical nursing practice
Usually begins at the level of the school curriculum
committee level
TWU - Curriculum Revision Committee

Curricular Considerations
Need for faculty development & other faculty
concerns
Areas & amount of content to include
Innovations in nursing
Ways technology will be incorporated
Budgetary constraints
Timeline for completion
Internal & external contextual frames
Program approvals
State Board of Nursing
Accreditation

Teaching - Learning
Strategies

Theory

alance expectations between ideal and practical?

Grand theories
Middle-range theories
Teaching/Learning
theories

Conceptual Framework
Nursing Paradigm
Lifespan Perspectives

Curriculum Development
Components
Mission & vision of the program
Philosophy of the faculty
Overall program goals
Framework for organizing the
curriculum
Student Learning Outcomes
Implementation plan

Curriculum Frameworks
Medical Model Approach
Blocked Curriculum
Curriculum Themes (Threads/
Concept-based Curriculum
Problem-based Curriculum
Case-based Curriculum
Community-based Curriculum
Outcomes-based Curriculum

Curriculum Components
Mission & Vision
Philosophy (beliefs about
teaching & learning; critical
thinking; liberal education &
sciences; health care systems &
related policy, finance,
regulation; prevention;
population health; cultural
competence; communication;
professionalism; evidence-based
practice; information systems &
technology; quality care; safety;
etc.)
Organizational framework
(concept mapping)
Program goals & purposes

Implementation plan - SLO; end

of program objectives; level
objectives; course objectives)
Course prerequisites
Course descriptions
Content outlines
Course schedule
Learning activities
Evaluation methods - Student,
faculty, program

Broad Content Areas to Consider

CCNE Essentials for BS

Graduates
I - Liberal education
II - Basic organizational
& system leadership for
quality care & patient
safety

VI - Interprofessional
education &
collaboration for
improving patient care

III - Scholarship for

evidence-based practice

VII - Clinical prevention

& population health

IV - Information
management &
application of patient
care technology

VIII - Professionalism &

professional values

V - Health care policy,

finance, & regulatory
environments

IX - Baccalaureate
generalist practice

Examples of Nursing Student

Outcomes
Engages in ethical reasoning &
actions that demonstrate caring
& commitment to social justice
in the delivery of health care to
individuals & populations.

s
E
E
N
C
C
h
t
i
w
p
a
M
Uses a range of information &
clinical technologies to achieve
health care outcomes for clients.
Communicates effectively &
collaboratively to provide clientcentered nursing care in various
health care communities.

Applies leadership principles &

skills to support quality & safety
within complex health care
systems & communities.
Provides effective nursing care
that incorporates diverse
perspectives, values, & health
practices to meet diverse needs
& values.

s
l
a
i
t

Incorporates liberal arts-based

understanding of global health
care issues to promote health,
prevent disease, & facilitate
healing & disease selfmanagement across the lifespan.

n
e
s

Applies sound clinical judgment &

evidence-based practice in the
provision of holistic nursing care.
Integrates knowledge of health
care policy, populations, finance,
& regulatory environments that
influence system changes linked
with professional nursing
practice.

Essential Content Areas

Global community
Social justice
Population health
Health promotion

Community of learning
Learner-centered education
Curricular themes (e.g., community,
ethics, health, professionalism, caring)
Modes of inquiry

Illness/disease prevention
Chronic disease management

Content Overload

Social determinants of health

Diversity/culture
Communication

Reduce Content Saturation

Quality & safety

Genetics

Cared across the lifespan

Call is to move away from the

traditional content laden
behaviorist paradigm to the
constructivist learning-centered
model where students are active
participants.

aim to include narrative pedagogies (e.g., storytelli

cooperative or team-based learning, & problem-bas

Program of Study
Semester #2 (Chronic Health):
Credits

Semester #1 (Foundations):
15 Credits

Foundations of Community-based Nursing

Practice - 4 credits
Professional Communication in Diverse
Communities - 2 credits

Scholarship of Nursing - 3 credits

Integrated Experiential Learning 1 (didactic &

clinical) - 6 credits

Semester #3 (Acute Health):

credits

13 -16

Nursing care of children, adults,& older adults with

chronic conditions - 3 credits
Pathophysiology & Pharmacology for nursing practice
I - 2 credits
Mental Health & Illness across the Lifespan - 2 credits
Integrated Experiential Learning II (clinical) - 6
credits
Elective or General Education - 3 credits

13-16

Nursing care of children, adults, & older

adults with acute conditions

Semester #3 (Acute Health):

-14 credits

13

Leading & Managing in Nursing - 3 credits

Transitions & decisions: Pregnancy, Birth, &

EOL care

Population-based Nursing in a multicultural

& Global Society - 2 credits

Pathophysiology & Pharmacology for

nursing practice I - 2 credits

Integrated Experiential Learning IV (clinical)

- 8 credits

Integrated Experiential Learning III (clinical)

- 6 credits

Elective NCLEX-RN Preparation Course = 1

credit

Elective or General Education - 3 credits

Connect Program Goals - Student Learning

Outcomes

Course: Nursing and Health Care

Goal: Discuss the

Student Learning Outcomes:

professional role of
nursing and its
collaborative roles with
other health care
disciplines.

Analyze the history of nursing &

its impact on the status of
nursing as a profession & a
science.

Description: Introduce the

nursing profession, its
history, the science of
nursing, and ethics. Discuss
the roles of interprofessional
health care teams. Review
definitions of health and
illness. Explore ideas about
the health continuum across
the lifespan.

Compare the roles of

professional interdisciplinary
health care providers with
nursing.
Examine implications of health
and illness across the lifespan.
Identify the ways ethics
influences selected health care
issues and nursing care delivery.

Course Content Outline

Nursing history
Nursing as a profession
Nursing as a science & academic
discipline
The interprofessional health care team
Health & illness definitions
Diversity
Delivery of competent compassionate
nursing care
Ethics & health care issues
Ethics & nursing practice

Identify the Content

Culture - Diversity

Cultural
Humility

Caring

Nurse Individual Compassion

Burnout
Caring Values
Fatigue

Backward Design

Key Considerations
Content - Knowledge to Convey
Didactic & Clinical Teaching
Evaluation - Student Learning Outcomes, Program
Outcomes, Graduate Outcomes

Early Steps:

Review program data

Complete a literature review - Look for
evidence to identify best practices in nursing
education
Review the CCNE Essentials, SBON, NCLEX,
DECs, etc.
Review professional standards (e.g., ANA
Code of Ethics, cultural competency, QSEN,
geriatric nursing care, etc.)
Review other national programs

Student Evaluations

Program Evaluation
Donabedian (1996)- Structure, Process,
Outcome
Stufflebean (1971) - Context, Input, Process,
Product (CIPP)
Benchmarking - Compare to similar institutions
Formative vs. Summative Evaluation

Transformation