[NPInfo] Re: WSJ Article---anatomy, suturing, EKGs, etc...

[Nbalkon at aol.com]

Hello All...
 
Some thoughts and  reflections...
 
There are well defined curiculum guidelines and skill sets do  exist for NP 
programs.
 
While curriculum committees/faculties of NP programs do their  best to 
develop curricula and ensure clinical experiences that meet entry level  practice 
criteria I agree there may be gaps.... This is true for any educational  program 
one goes thru... RN, MD, PA, Pharmacy, etc etc...
 
Learning IS life long...
 
Faculty responsibility is to "encourage" students to identify  indiviualized 
learning needs to fill the gaps in their personal  knowledge... This is 
especially true for those entering APRN programs...  BECAUSE... there is diversity 
in among students.... novice to expert given  clinical background, years of 
experience as an RN, and so  on...
 
I'm not saying faculty are off the hook. Instead, faculty must  look at each 
student as an individual BE
YOND the curriculum, guide them in  their development and facilitate 
learning.  Assist in "filling in the gaps"  in knowledge base.... so.... when the do 
enter practice they don't on interview  say, "I don't know that but I'm a quick 
read"...  Yes!  Some get past  us!   This isn't unusual for any educational 
program. MD  included!
 
CADAVERS??????   Anatomy need not be learned by  "dissection"...  I've 
learned it both ways...  Are you aware that even  in the ivy halls of medical 
education there is a move to "sim labs" and more  reliance on "technology in 
education"....  for clinical skills.... and....  yes, for anatomy...  

Nancy Balkon,  PhD, ANP-C, APRN-CS, NPP
Southern New York State Representative --  AANP
Clinical Associate Professor, Stony Brook University School of  Nursing




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