An associate degree in nursing (ADN) is the level of learner required to teach the topic. The topic will be offered in the course titled Medical-Surgical 2 Class. Associate Degree in Nursing is an undergraduate degree that allows students to learn the fundamentals of nursing and practical nursing skills (RegisteredNursing.org, n.d.). Although most associate’s programs are two-year degrees, some can be completed within 18 months (RegisteredNursing.org, n.d.). Students who earn an ADN may be qualified to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses, which is necessary to obtain a license to practice as a registered nurse (RegisteredNursing.org, n.d.).
The chosen differentiated essential competency (DEC) is the provider of patient-centered care. This is DEC number II based on the Texas Board of Nursing DEC (DEC, 2021). This DEC evaluates various aspects that equip learners with pertinent knowledge, clinical judgment, and behavior.
Relevant knowledge areas cover six aspects. Firstly, students will develop a methodical approach to problem-solving in treating patients and their families founded on specific liberal arts and sciences as well as the results of evidence-based therapy (DEC, 2021). Secondly, students will learn how conceptual frameworks in nursing practice are used to plan care and address clinical issues when providing for patients and their families. Thirdly, students will embrace recent research, literature, and evidence-based practice to better patient care. In the fourth aspect, students will learn the sequential steps involved in the nursing process: assessment, analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation (DEC, 2021). In the fifth aspect, students will familiarize themselves with a comprehensive assessment of patients and their families. On the sixth aspect, students will identify and learn the signs and symptoms, etiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, health promotion, and prevention for community members.
Similarly, clinical judgment and behavior will address six aspects. Firstly, students will make nursing practice decisions based on clinical rationale and nursing science. Secondly, students will proactively manage patient care priorities and monitor clinical issues that call for inquiry while considering the anticipated risks (DEC, 2021). Thirdly, students will apply their understanding of health trends in society and embrace an evidence-based approach to identify and address the physical and psychological problems of the patient. Fourthly, students will use various data collection tools to obtain comprehensive patient history that addresses the patient holistically (DEC, 2021). Notable aspects include the patient’s physical, psychological, spiritual, cultural, and social needs. In the fifth aspect, students will conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine and monitor the patients’ and their families’ unique healthcare needs (DEC, 2021). In the sixth aspect, students will be able to screen patients, identify potential physical and psychological risks, and identify strategies for mitigating these risks.
ADN students will be taught a nurse’s role in managing infectious diseases. This concept fulfills the DEC competency of ‘provider of patient-centered care.’ Students will be educated on the importance of the nurse as a stakeholder in addressing a patient’s unique needs. This will address aspects such as holistic care, using the nursing process to develop care plans, and ethical considerations in patient management (Frisch & Rabinowitsch, 2019). As such, students will understand the relevance of patient-centeredness for individuals with various infectious diseases.
The teaching and test questions differentiate the knowledge of ADN students from that of LVN and BSN students. McDonald (2014) reports that successful assessment depends on properly planning teaching objectives, learning outcomes, and teaching activities. Differentiation is achieved by modifying questions to demonstrate an increase in the complexity of knowledge, as evidenced by the proper utilization of Bloom’s taxonomy (Agarwal, 2019). In the context of ADN students, the test questions have been formulated to evaluate students’ understanding of concepts of patient-centeredness. On the other hand, the test questions evaluate LVN students’ ability to remember and BSN students’ ability to apply and analyze various concepts concerning patient-centeredness. The test questions are organized based on the nursing process: assessment, analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation (Bahrudin et al., 2019). For example, the first question that relates to assessment requires the ADN student to differentiate between droplet and airborne transmission for the client. In this
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