Keywords

care coordination, clinical education, curriculum innovation, immersion, nursing education

 

Authors

  1. Shaffer, Kathryn EdD, MSN, RN, CNE
  2. Swan, Beth Ann PhD, CRNP, FAAN
  3. Bouchaud, Mary PhD, MSN, CNS, RN, CRRN

Abstract

To keep pace with the ever-changing health care delivery system, it is important to transform the way future nurses are educated, both in classroom and in clinical settings, to care for people along the life and care continuum, not only in acute-care settings. The purpose of this article is to describe a new approach to educating baccalaureate nursing students using immersion practicums that expose students to population health, transitions of care, care coordination, and the multiple roles a nurse engages in along the continuum. The curriculum includes 5 immersions, each with a specific life and care continuum focus to develop anticipatory thinkers.