Authors

  1. Seibert, Susan A. DNP, RN, CNE

Article Content

To provide consistent education across multiple laboratory (lab) groups and foster student engagement in active learning strategies, I structure health assessment lab agendas using a Review-Do-Document format (see Supplemental Digital Content, Sample Agenda, available at: http://links.lww.com/NE/B269). This structure corresponds with competency-based education efforts to align learning with competency demonstration. The review session at the beginning of the lab involves students teaching aloud the correct technique for the assessment skills on the lab's agenda. Students also take turns describing normal and abnormal findings and the pathophysiology underlying the abnormal signs and symptoms. Then students determine what the nurse would do in response to them. After the review, students move to stations around the lab to practice the health assessment skills and apply chapter concepts. The practice sessions include gathering assessments on peers in the lab, assessing patient simulators (high and low fidelity), and identifying auscultatory sounds using sound tutors. To engage students in the application of concepts, students complete case studies, nursing care plans, and concept maps. The instructor provides real-time feedback and ensures that every student is engaged in the activities. At the end of the lab, the students document the assessment findings that they gathered in a student electronic health record. The Review-Do-Document format structure optimizes student engagement in review, discussion, practice, demonstration, and application of health assessment concepts and competencies. Uniformity of the lab agenda format provides clarity of expectations for faculty and students. This Review-Do-Document format could be applied to a variety of skill-based labs.