Delivery Methods
CLASSROOM: The on-campus nursing classroom is a state-of-the-art tiered classroom that is equipped and engineered for distance delivery of multimedia presentations by means of TANDBERG videoconferencing system technology, allowing real time interactions with students and faculty at a distance site in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Student response systems (clickers) allow for enhanced student participation during class, and provide the instructor with instant feedback related to student understanding of content. Pod cast recordings are available for each lecture session, allowing replay at a later time over the Internet. All nursing courses have an online classroom (learning management system) available to handle announcements, lecture outlines, course updates, discussion boards, and other communication from the faculty.
CLINICAL: Classroom instructors also teach in the clinical area, which bridges lecture content with practical application in the clinical setting. Faculty to student clinical ratio does not exceed 1:8. Clinical training begins in the first semester of the program. Each core nursing course has a clinical component whereby students are placed in a clinical agency and engage in participatory learning experiences in which they provide direct care to clients. Also included in the curriculum are observational clinical experiences to expose students to a variety of healthcare settings.
SKILLS LABORATORY: Patient care areas (laboratories) are used for practicing and recording skills demonstrations. These labs are equipped with training simulators and supplies, and mini DVD camcorders and players for student learning experiences. SimMan® advanced simulators provide realistic and challenging scenario based simulations to test students’ critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills. (SimMan® simulators will be available in the lab beginning fall 2008.)
COMPUTER LABORATORY: Most testing is done in a computer laboratory to help prepare students to take the computerized national licensing examination. Additionally, with an institution code, enrolled nursing students have access to online interactive nursing scenario case studies. These realistic scenarios allow for application of knowledge, test decision-making skills, and provide practice in answering NCLEX® -type questions.