An Undergraduate Clinical Faculty Orientation Program

A P R O J E C T O F T H E U N D E R G R A D U A T E C L I N I C A L C O M M I T T E E S P R I N G 2 0 1 1 C O N H S T A M U C C

UCC History

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Task force to address faculty communication issues in the clinical site Transitioned to a subcommittee of UGA Members, all clinical faculty, brainstormed and prioritized projects for the group Small groups worked on selected project Follow Committee work process, take forward to stakeholders Goals of Work Process: Collaboration, Excellence

Goal of the Project

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User friendly, comprehensive orientation resource for new clinical and adjunct faculty.

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Support our College mission to: educate the health care providers of today and leaders of tomorrow through the provision of excellent educational programs in the professions of nursing and the health sciences. (CONHS Website, 2011)

Value of the Project

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Support transition to the role The role of Nurse Educator is more than adding a new skill and entails assimilating a new set of values and norms, as well as developing a new identity. (Anderson, 2009).

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Improve consistency among faculty across the program

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Maximize the use of the College’s resources Insure that clinical objectives are completed appropriately

Value of the Project

By addressing key issues prior to a new faculty’s clinical experience the transition can be made more smoothly and outcomes improved by providing

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An in-depth orientation to the organization and clinical facility

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Awareness of the need for preparation for clinical rotations Strategies for assisting students in successfully completing clinical objectives (Hewitt & Lewallen, 2010)

Context

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Clinically intensive BSN program which is one of the top three RN-producing programs in the state Clinical and/or adjunct faculty moving quickly into a new role or course Experienced faculty have developed and used many materials Communication systems – Blackboard, CONHS website Environment of faculty ownership of the teaching assignment

Support for the Project

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Faculty experience Literature has shown there is a disconnect between perceived expectations and the reality of the clinical faculty experience (Anderson, 2009).

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Student experience

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It's extremely helpful when the instructor is organized and has a game plan for us to follow. We feel as though we have a better grasp on what is expected of us to accomplish during our clinical experience. With the organization in place, we come better prepared and eager to work. If the schedule does unexpectedly change, we seem to adapt a bit better because we have confidence that our instructor will make the necessary changes to make sure we get the most out of our clinical experience.

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- 2 nd Semester Student, Spring 2011

Added Benefits

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Improve consistency among the clinical faculty Potential to improve faculty recruitment, retention and satisfaction with the teaching role

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“Formalized new-faculty orientation programs are not a luxury but rather a crucial necessity to recruit and retain competent and qualified faculty” (Hand, 2008.p.,63).

Process and Time frame

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Demonstrate the developed user-friendly new clinical/adjunct faculty orientation program that provides the support, information and resources that new faculty need to have a successful transition into the clinical role and setting. Integrate feedback from faculty.

Receive College approval and have the materials loaded to CONHS website and Blackboard for use starting Fall 2011.

Make available Summer 2011 on Trial Basis for new adjuncts.

Recommendations for the Future

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Process designed to measure new faculty’s perceived satisfaction with clinical orientation program.

Ongoing monitoring and updates as part of annual UCC work; Technology Subcommittee Consider structured monitoring and support of clinical faculty.

Incentives for participation.

Thank you

References Anderson, J. K. (2009). The work-role transition of expert clinician to novice academic educator. Journal of Nursing Education, 48(4), 203-208.

Hand, M. W. (2008). Formalized new-faculty orientation programs: Necessity or luxury? Nurse Educator, 33(2), 63-66. Hewitt, P., & Lewallen, L. P. (2010). Ready, set, teach! how to transform the clinical nurse expert into the part-time clinical nurse instructor. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(9), 403-407.