Authors

  1. Mott, Jason PhD, RN, CNE

Article Content

A student-centered teaching strategy was integrated into an online graduate-level pathophysiology course. In this course, there is a mixture of master's students with a focus in nursing education and clinical nurse leadership, and doctor of nursing practice family nurse practitioner (FNP) and nurse anesthetist students. Historically, this course was taught with graduate students from all options answering identical discussion and examination questions. Students had concerns about full group discussion. Based on their feedback, the course was rebuilt to better meet their learning needs. While the course is still offered to the mixture of students, application to their degree path is highlighted. In odd number weeks of the course, the students answer general discussion questions, applying that week's content to advanced practice nursing in general. In alternating weeks, the students are grouped together by their degree paths and discuss questions related to their focus. The nurse anesthesia students apply the content to the perioperative environment, FNP students to the clinic setting, and master's students to teaching or leading staff. Along with the weekly discussion questions, the examinations were also changed to be more reflective and centered to the specific degree paths of the students. All of the students take the same test. However, at the end of it, students answer an essay item based on their degree path. Similar to the discussion questions, the essays are used to apply the information to a situation they would encounter in their future career.