Faculty to faculty: advice for educators new to teaching in accelerated second baccalaureate degree nursing programs.

BACKGROUND: Despite a growing faculty shortage, accelerated second baccalaureate degree nursing programs (ASBSN) proliferate. To prepare faculty for this teaching role, guide their development, and enhance recruitment and retention, ASBSN faculty in this descriptive study offered advice to new ASBSN educators. METHOD: Data were collected online from ASBSN faculty (N = 93) across the midwestern United States. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: (a) Plan for Program Intensity That Stresses Students and Faculty, (b) Be Available, Flexible, Open-Minded, and Patient, (c) Uphold Early-Established Expectations and Rigorous Standards, (d) Be Prepared for Challenging Questions: Know Your Material and Be Organized, (e) Integrate Students' Diversity Into Teaching and Learning, and (f) Adapt Content and Teaching Strategies to Align With Student and Program Characteristics. Consistency with the Suplee and Gardner new faculty orientation model was explored. CONCLUSION: Respondents viewed new ASBSN faculty as active agents who can influence their own effectiveness and success. [J Nurs Educ. 2015;54(6):343-346.].

The faculty voice: teaching in accelerated second baccalaureate degree nursing programs.

BACKGROUND: Although accelerated second baccalaureate degree in nursing (ASBSN) programs are growing, little is known about how faculty help ASBSN students to learn. METHOD: In this descriptive qualitative study, faculty in 25 ASBSN programs in 11 midwestern states were asked to describe factors about their teaching. These focused on a comparison with traditional education and an in-depth examination of teaching strategies. RESULTS: Faculty (N = 129) responded to six open-ended questions on the online survey; a thematic analysis resulted in 24 themes. Themes included Appreciate the Adult Learner With Previous Experiences; Connect Students With Structured Professional Activities; Role Model Professional Learning; and I Like It, I Love It, I Enjoy the Challenge of It. CONCLUSION: Because findings are from the faculty perspective, they enhance understanding of this teaching experience. Implications for faculty development and further research are included.

Experiences and emotions of faculty teaching in accelerated second baccalaureate degree nursing programs.

The number of accelerated second baccalaureate degree nursing (ASBSN) programs has mushroomed over recent decades, with more than 225 currently in existence. Scholars have described students and programs, but research examining the faculty experience is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences and emotions of faculty teaching students in ASBSN programs. Using a descriptive qualitative survey design, faculty (N = 138) from 25 randomly selected programs in 11 midwestern states were surveyed using an instrument developed for this study and distributed online. Ten themes emerged, including (a) Engaging With Motivated, Mature, and Diverse Students, (b) Students Choosing Nursing for the "Wrong Reasons," (c) Too Much Work, Too Little Time for Students and Faculty, (d) Amazement, (e) Pride, and (f) Frustration. These findings will help novice and seasoned ASBSN faculty interpret their experiences, strengthen precepting and mentoring activities, and support administrators in determining staffing plans and designing ASBSN programs.

Accessibility in online nursing education for persons with disability.

As online teaching intensifies, literature about using and evaluating online teaching has flourished. What is missing, however, is a discussion of Web accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWD). The authors address the challenges that PWD face concerning Web accessibility, accessibility's evolution within universal design, application of accessible design principles, use of selected evaluation tools for appraising online teaching for its accessibility by PWD, and recommendations for moving forward.

Experiences described by novice teaching academic staff in baccalaureate nursing education: a focus on mentoring.

As the nursing faculty shortage grows, teaching academic staff (TAS) increasingly fill vacant faculty positions. The TAS have limited employment contracts and are usually master's prepared; although they are well grounded in nursing practice, they often are inadequately prepared and minimally supported in an academic teaching position. No study could be found in which the experiences and mentorship of novice TAS in baccalaureate nursing programs were explored. Understanding these issues is essential to guiding approaches that would enhance retention and strengthen the quality of nursing education. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of novice TAS in baccalaureate nursing programs and how those experiences compare to their expectations and needs, with a focus on mentoring experiences. A descriptive qualitative design with focus group interviews was used with 10 participants from three settings participating in the study. Five categories emerged from the data: feelings, preparation for role and expectations, resources, challenges, and mentorship. Implications, a comparison with existing literature, and suggestions for further research are identified.

In the shelter of each other: Respite Care for Students as a partnership model.

Many of today's nursing students live in the margin of society without family support. When this is compounded by demanding family responsibilities, the personal and academic consequences for students can be harsh. Although numerous student retention strategies have been clearly documented, Respite Care for Students is offered as a unique partnership model to sustain these students' enrollment, provide adequate time for their learning, and enhance their graduation rates.

Art as a scaffolding teaching strategy in baccalaureate nursing education.

Although the use of art in nursing education is well highlighted, most of the literature is anecdotal or focuses on development of a reflective nursing practice with clients. In this study, art was used as a scaffold to infuse liberal nursing education by helping baccalaureate nursing students (n = 91) create a personal expression of nursing and move toward greater self-awareness. Scaffolding is a metaphor for supporting learners as they develop higher levels of thinking. Using naturalistic inquiry to analyze students' written responses in a course activity, four themes emerged from the data: art and creativity, teamwork, boundaries and horizons within self, and boundaries and horizons in the profession. Student's individual expressions of art served as the "calling forth" of processes that opened the door to each student's personal expression.

Fire, wind, earth, and water: raising the education threshold through teacher self-awareness.

The ancient Greeks, as well as current writers, prompt us to examine the self as teacher. Seeing the self as a border crosser is used to reveal both the light-side and shadow-side of self, as metaphorically suggested by fire, wind, earth, and water. Only through teacher self-awareness can respect be used to expand our lives as teachers and enrich students' learning and growth.

International education and reflection: transition of Swedish and American nursing students to authenticity.

Reflection, a process grounded in distancing from the self to enhance self-awareness, can be used as a pedagogic activity to promote students' transition to a greater authenticity and professionalism and, therefore, improve patient care and nursing practice. In this international educational project (implemented in 2001) using interactive videoconferencing technology (IVC), Swedish and U.S. nursing students and faculty incorporated reflective journaling, drama in education, photolanguage, and off-air meeting discussions to enhance personal and professional development. Highlights from the literature, a description of the project, and student and faculty appraisals are presented.

Using storytelling as an approach to teaching and learning with diverse students.

Storytelling is an approach to teaching and learning that develops from the lived experiences ofteachers, clinicians, and students. This article examines thestorytelling process used to help students explore personal roles and make sense of their lives, and as an approach to help diverse undergraduate students with various learning styles.