A New Era for Nursing Education: Implications for Practice.

With the release of The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, nurse educators and practice leaders are transforming how nurses are prepared to meet current and future practice expectations. Working together using a competency-based approach to education, academic-practice partners are redefining entry- and advanced-level nursing education, including new approaches to clinical experiences and competency assessment. This monumental shift will help clarify what new nurses are prepared to do while enhancing their practice readiness.

Education for effective case management practice.

BACKGROUND: An internal needs assessment in a managed care organization identified the need for more effective case management and a more thorough orientation of new case managers. METHOD: An educational design and development consultant facilitated the process of planning and implementing activities to address those needs. One hundred fifteen employees attended one of five interactive educational sessions that covered key concepts critical to effective case management. RESULTS: Feedback from learners and from the managed care organization indicated that the activity was effective in meeting its targeted goals. CONCLUSION: The use of external facilitators combined with internal resources and implementation of active learning strategies was effective in promoting organizational improvement.