Ready. Set. Game: Using Nursing Knowledge to Escape the Virtual Room in the Didactic Setting.

ABSTRACT: Most virtual escape rooms are built using Google documents that ask a series of questions; our faculty team wanted to provide a more interactive experience in a large classroom and created a virtual escape room that mimicked the Next Generation NCLEX testing platform. Each room contained a case study with multiple-choice questions. Seventy-three of 98 possible students completed the escape room survey. All recommended this activity to other students, and 91 percent said they preferred the game format more than the lecture format. Virtual escape rooms are interactive, engaging, and can be used successfully to bridge theory to practice.

International and Interprofessional Collaboration: An Innovative Week of Learning Across Three Professions, Three Universities, and One Ocean.

ABSTRACT: As the COVID-19 pandemic prevented planned international travel opportunities for students and faculty, faculty at three universities from three professions created a four-day innovative, online learning experience. Each session included presentations from each country, small-group discussions, and evaluation. The topics appealed to students regardless of profession or nationality. Daily evaluations showed attendees valued the experience. The benefits of international and interprofessional learning were evident; students gained better understanding of other professions and health care systems through sessions that expanded their thinking. International appreciation and learning can be prioritized without physical travel.

Making group work gratifying: Implementing and evaluating a three-stage model of group processes in an online nursing course.

BACKGROUND: Teamwork skills are important professional competencies; teaching them can be challenging in online nursing education. PURPOSE: To describe the implementation of a three-stage model for successful group processes in an asynchronous online course and evaluate its effectiveness. METHODS: The three-stage model for group work was used to identify students' needs and concerns, and adaptations to the model were made to reflect specifics of the online environment. Prior to the beginning of the course, the faculty created guidelines and instructions for a group project, recorded a video explaining the benefits of group work, and provided a variety of resources. Faculty monitored and supported online group processes through all stages of group work. At the end of the course, 135 students completed an evaluation survey. Student responses were aggregated by frequent comments. RESULTS: Most students described their group work experience as positive and enjoyable. Students reported learning a wide range of teamwork skills. All students recognized that group work skills are directly applicable to their future nursing practice. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to make online group projects successful and gratifying for students with appropriate evidence-based course design and carefully planned facilitation of group processes.

It's the Experience: A Course Redesign to Shift Student Perspectives on Population-Centered Nursing.

ABSTRACT: An innovative experiential learning activity in an online undergraduate population health nursing course provided an authentic experience that connected course content with abstract concepts and patient situations. To address identified application needs, the design incorporated social determinants of health to enhance realism and applicability and build readiness for nursing practice through the experience.

Rapid Transition to Online Learning for Baccalaureate Students: Teamwork During a Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This article describes how a college of nursing (CON) converted its traditional undergraduate academic program to a 100% online program within 2 weeks of being informed of the need for curricular modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: The college faculty met online prior to implementation to discuss student needs and special considerations. Clinical simulation experiences were developed based on International Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) standards and delivered through virtual simulation. RESULTS: Students evaluated the clinical simulation experiences in each course using Likert-style measures and reported positive experiences overall. Each cohort of students, including the May 2020 graduating seniors, successfully completed all of their classes for progression to the next semester or graduation. CONCLUSION: The successful conversion of traditional academic programs into a virtual environment requires leadership, collaboration, and teamwork. This CON had positive outcomes and offers lessons learned for future implementation. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(7): 397-399.].