Philosophy of Nursing Education
Impacting one nursing student’s life impacts hundreds, if not thousands of people: patients, families, coworkers, future nursing students. If I can instill the joy of learning, I have created a lifelong learner. If I can communicate the joy inherent in touching people’s lives, that joy is carried forward. If I model professional behavior, that model is perpetuated and the profession of nursing is better represented. If I exhibit the joy of teaching, I open the door for future educators.
I believe there is joy in teaching. I believe in the leadership of nurse educators: leading the student to understanding, role modeling professional behavior, setting high standards and providing the tools to attain those standards. I believe in the use of humor in teaching as that which is learned with a positive association is more readily called upon when needed. I believe I have an obligation to the students who look to me for education, an obligation to be knowledgeable in the realm I am teaching, current in best practices, and invested in innovative teaching modalities. The National League of Nursing (2012) specifically calls upon the nurse educator to implement a variety of teaching methods designed to engage the student in the learning process. Learner centered learning is an education approach that engages the student in the learning process as an active participant rather than a passive receptacle of knowledge dispensed from the podium (Schiller, 2009). Learner centered teaching is an approach to empowering students to take control of their learning, engage students in the spirit of inquiry, and instill the lifelong learning mentality which is imperative for all nurses. This changes the role of educator from a dispenser of knowledge to one of guidance and provider of tools of learning. The learner centered educator creates an atmosphere of trust, communication, and engagement not only in the student but within his or her self (Horsfall, Cleary, & Hunt, 2012). Instead of the educator being the center and source of all knowledge, the students are supported and challenged by the educator to direct and take responsibility for their learning (Keating, 2010). Nursing education is a balancing point between the past and future: bringing forward the time-honored dedication to the profession and mingling it with evidence based practice. In order to assist nursing students to capture and integrate the clinical reasoning imperative to the nursing profession an interactive, dual responsibility approach to teaching/learning is necessary. There is great joy in giving students the tools and maps for discovery and watching the students succeed. References: Henson, K. T. (2003). Foundations for learner-centered education: A knowledge base. Education, 124(1). 5-16. Horsfall, J. Cleary, M., & Hunt, G. E. (2012). Developing a pedagogy for nursing teaching-learning. Nurse Educator Today, 32. 930-933. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2011.10.022 Keating, S. B. (2010). Curriculum Development and Evaluation in Nursing (2nd ed.). New York: Springer National League for Nursing. (2012). The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators. New York: National League for Nursing. |