Authors

  1. Rhodes, Kathleen A. PhD, RN, FNP-C

Article Content

Asking students to create both appropriate and inappropriate responses to a faculty-derived question is one way to foster student engagement. This learning activity may build knowledge or require critical thinking when faculty provide a response to a case scenario. Required responses will vary on the basis of the question in that students may be asked to identify nursing actions, anticipated medications, appropriate meals, and a concerning assessment. The activity works best when timed and students collaborate within a team. For example, student teams were asked to identify 2 correct actions and 1 incorrect action when caring for a patient with anaphylaxis. While referencing the textbook, teams were instructed to record answers. The faculty called on several teams asking, "Tell me 2 truths and a lie regarding how to care for a patient with anaphylaxis." The other groups identified the lie. When there was redundancy in the answers, the faculty asked the students to identify important content that was missed. An optional method would be for the groups to write responses on a whiteboard or poster board and then identify another team's incorrect answer. Faculty should always end the discussion by answering questions and identifying the rationales behind the responses. In addition, faculty can compare and contrast to expand student thinking and reinforce content. For example, "How or why is the treatment of anaphylaxis different from that of asthma?" The activity is simple, but ultimately students learn by creating potential answers to a test question.