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Abstract

A primary focus of global education at the beginning of the 21st century is human health. Health problems currently threaten the quantity and quality of life in much of the world. In order to participate competently in the current healthcare system, healthcare consumers and professionals alike require an understanding of health-related terms. A course delivered on the World Wide Web, "Terminology for Healthcare Professionals and Consumers," would teach words related to diseases, procedures, diagnostic tests and medications to a large target audience of professionals, students and lay consumers. The amount requested from IHETS for the development of this for-credit course for first-time technology delivery is $12,000, with $6, 000 matched by institutional funds.

Need to be Addressed and Learners to be Served

Each year, millions of persons across the nation and the world enter into the healthcare system as consumers. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students begin careers in health care professions. Consumers and professionals alike need an understanding of health-related terms in order to participate fully in decisions within a complex healthcare system. Educational and healthcare institutions face the challenge of ensuring that professionals and consumers can communicate effectively as members of the healthcare team. Effective communication requires a common understanding of language, specifically the language of healthcare.

The focus of this proposal is the design and implementation of a new distance learning course, NUR 101, "Terminology for Healthcare Professionals and Consumers." The outcome of this project will be the first-time technological delivery of the course and will incorporate solely asynchronous learning through access to the World Wide Web (WWW). The two-hour elective course will be offered as a full for-credit course. The goals of NUR 101 are to prepare healthcare workers and lay persons to analyze, understand, spell, and pronounce health-related terms. Healthcare consumers across the state, nation, and world include all persons, thus creating an unlimited market for this course. Consumers in NUR 101 report, for example, that they want to understand "what my physician father is talking about at supper every night," "what doctors tell me is wrong with my ill family members," and "more about my own diabetes." Healthcare professionals in NUR 101 include students majoring in exercise science, radiology, occupational and physical therapy, health science, respiratory therapy, psychology, public health, and nursing. Other enrollees have been students majoring in journalism, political science, public relations, marketing, biology, and social work.

A primary target audience for NUR 101 by WWW is professionals in RN-BSN completion programs. Many nursing programs nationwide are committed to enabling registered nurses with an associate or diploma degree to complete a baccalaureate degree. Learners in RN-BSN completion tracts are nontraditional students who are challenged by time, distance, and financial constraints. Nurses often work shifts, weekends, and overtime, which interfere with traditional college courses. The Ball State University School of Nursing currently offers an RN-BSN completion program that provides required nursing courses entirely through the WWW format and has approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education for state-wide dissemination of the program. Nurses then can pursue their education without sacrificing work and family responsibilities. NUR 101 can serve as an elective in the RN-BSN curriculum.

A trend toward increasing numbers of nontraditional college students in all majors, and in health-related fields in particular, supports further the need for NUR 101 on WWW. Nontraditional students may have dollars to spend on education but limited access to convenient learning. An asynchronous format will provide the needed flexibility. This project will significantly impact students who might otherwise delay or decline educational endeavors.

Another target audience for NUR 101 on WWW is the pool of students who desire elective courses at times other than traditional semesters. For example, freshmen can take NUR 101 during the summer before beginning college to become familiar with new learning technologies and professional vocabulary. Students can take NUR 101 during semester breaks when few other courses are offered or during vacation days from work, pacing their learning as quickly or slowly as they wish. The asynchronous format addresses the challenge of letting learners be learners when they choose to be.

While this proposal focuses on a full for-credit WWW course, the adaptability of NUR 101 for continuing education selections can not be overlooked. For example, continuing lay education modules could be titled "Cardiovascular Terms for Patients and Families."

Target audiences will learn about NUR 101 on WWW through statewide advertising by BSU, national publications on healthcare and education, and on-line marketing. Faculty can disperse information about the course at conferences they attend.

Rationale for Choice of Course and Technologies to be Used

"Terminology for Healthcare Professionals and Consumers" was selected as the focus of this proposal because of its relevance to large numbers of learners, the success of the course to date, and the educational gap filled by the asynchronous presentation.

Relevance to Large Audience: NUR 101 meets a critical need for an entry-level, elective, survey course on communication about human health. Vast numbers of healthcare workers and consumers need to understand health-related terms. Healthcare consumers can better participate in their own care. Students and professionals in health-related fields can better communicate within multidisciplinary systems. For example, a physical therapist needs to know not only "physical therapy words" but also "nursing terms" and "physician slang" in order to function competently on a patient care team.

Current Course Success: Another primary factor in the selection of NUR 101 by WWW is the success of the course in traditional on-campus format. Enrollment has grown from approximately 40 in Fall semester, 1996, which was a large enrollment for a first-time course, to over 100 in 1998. Additional sections of 101 have been opened. Course and instructor evaluations have been very positive, ranking 4.0 and higher on a 5.0 scale.

Asynchronous Format: WWW delivery of NUR 101 meets the important educational need for flexibility and ease of access to courses. Students in NUR 101 have been asked to report what times of the day and week would be best to offer NUR 101. Students propose a wide variety of preferred times, indicating the diversity of the learning group and the need for flexibility. In addition, a few students report that the content "moves too quickly and I can't keep up," while other students request a faster pace. Individual preferences can be addressed through an asynchronous format.

Institutional Support

Widespread support for the project arises from Ball State University, the School of Nursing, university computer and technological support units, and the School of Continuing Education. BSU and the School of Nursing have a long history of leadership in distance learning and technological approaches to education. The School has received approval as the first in Indiana to offer a masters-level nurse practitioner program totally on the WWW. The School's RN-BSN completion program offers all nursing courses by WWW. Development of multiple WWW courses demonstrates that the School of Nursing has the technology and expertise to support the current project. The School will provide hardware, software and network access for this proposed course development. University Computing Services will provide faculty consultation and a toolkit of products for Web course development. In addition, a graduate assistant will be trained by technological services to support WWW course preparation. The School of Continuing Education oversees registration and provides course materials to distance learners.

Instructional Design Plan

The following technologies will be used to prepare NUR 101 for WWW format:

All technologies are available to the project director, who has experience with many of the technologies. As a model for future WWW courses, a CD-ROM may be prepared for student purchase to increase the loading speed of sound and video content.

The curricular plan centers on fifteen modules, including Anatomical Terms, Word Analysis, and thirteen body systems. Sections within modules address anatomy, word parts, diagnostic terms, diseases, pharmacological terms, and abbreviations.

The project director will undertake the following sequential activities:

1. Evaluate current content for use in WWW format: Redesign lecture content, case studies, and currently existing exercises. Revise course syllabus.

2. Develop new course activities: Add case studies with critical thinking questions. Redesign group activities as individual exercises. Develop new activities, including "mystery" diagnostics, "pharmacology fact" game, "wheel of phonetics" game, "name-that-video" game, and matching exercises. Develop evaluative tools and tests.

3. Identify WWW resources: Select multiple and varied WWW sites for linkages.

4. Identify needed images: Possible resources include royalty free materials such as products from Adobe Image Library. If existing images or Web links can not be located, take pictures with a digital camera and link to text.

5. Design sound exercises: Write scripts for pronunciation case examples.

Arrange pronunciation and digitization. Design process for evaluation of students’ pronunciation.

6. Consolidate general information in Web site and university linkages: Complete links from course home page to syllabus, instructor access, Electronic Gradebook, COW, optional chatrooms, and course assessment tools. Implement test security protocol.

7. Pilot test and revise. Develop additional modules. Peer review.

8. Link to university on-line policies. Implement delivery. Gather formative and summative student evaluation. Submit final report. Present and publish results.

A primary benefit of NUR 101 on the WWW is the convenient linkages to supplemental information about terms. In the traditional format, students may want to know more about particular terms, but constraints of time limit discussion. Students are likely to use readily available Web links to increase understanding of terms.

For students who prefer "real time" contact with the instructor and/or other students, the instructor will maintain campus office and on-line hours. Students may access a synchronous student chatroom, as well as use the telephone or FAX equipment as supplemental communication devices. However, the course objectives can be met completely in the asynchronous mode if the student desires.

The project director, through an internal grant, designed sections of a pilot module for the technological delivery of NUR 101 content in 1997. The focus was on pronunciation of musculoskeletal terms. Digitized sound waves and digitized images were linked through Web pages. The pilot module will provide a partial template for additional modules in the WWW format. A Web home site for nursing electives was designed and will be used in this project.

The quality of the course design will be assured by the track record of the project director in delivering high-quality instruction and in managing large grants, by a stringent review and evaluation process, and by a host of support units available for this project.

Course Evaluation Plan

Student evaluation of NUR 101 will occur as follows:

1. On-line formative evaluation after completion of modules one and five.

2. Summative evaluation through BSU's well-established course evaluation plan.

3. Statistical comparison of course evaluations and student grades between WWW and traditional formats for current semester and the previous four semesters.

Outcomes of this project and results of the evaluation will be submitted for publication to Nurse Educator and to conferences where the project director has previously presented, including Sigma Theta Tau International, International Nursing Research Conference, and the National Nursing Education Conference.

Peer Review and Interinstitutional Acceptance

The quality of the course will be insured by periodic peer review. BSU faculty in instructional design and in health-related majors, the Director of the School of Nursing, two RN's, and two students will review the project after completion of the first, fourth and last modules. School curriculum committees and the Director will review summative evaluations, as the bodies responsible for quality of course delivery in the School. Interinstitutional acceptance will be fostered by engaging faculty from throughout the state and nation to review the course and evaluate it as transfer credit at their institutions. Potential interinstitutional reviewers include Dr. Susan Kennerly, Associate Dean, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati; Dr. Susan Bennett, Associate Professor, Indiana University; Professor Pam Harrison, Indiana Wesleyan University; and Dr. Pat Bennett, Chairperson, Department of Nursing, Anderson University.

Project Schedule

The following timeline will guide the project:

Key Course Development Personnel

Dr. Renee Twibell, DNS, RN, Associate Professor and project director, has 16 years experience in nursing education and a broad knowledge of healthcare terms. She designed NUR 101 in the traditional format and is a primary professor in the course. She will evaluate and develop course content and technological applications in the WWW course. Dr. Twibell has managed $166,000 in internal and external grants over the past seven years.

Dr. Kay Hodson-Carlton, EdD, RN, FAAN, Director, Learning Resource Center, School of Nursing and Associate Editor, Computers in Nursing, will provide consultation in the design, implementation and on-line marketing of the course. Dr. Hodson-Carlton has 20 years experience in the development and implementation of technology and telecommunications in nursing and healthcare education and practice. She has developed commercially available videotape and computer programs and served as a distance learning consultant at a national level. Since 1996, Dr. Hodson-Carlton has coordinated the design and implementation of WWW courses at the School of Nursing.

Sharon Van Hove, MS, RN, Instructor, will supervise and coordinate the work of the graduate assistant with other support services, assist with technological applications and design of course content, and assist with course marketing.

The graduate assistant will have an employment history and course background in technology-related skills for WWW course development.

 

Appendix

Biographical Sketch: RENEE TWIBELL, DNS, RN

Present Position: Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Ball State University (1981-present)

Educational Preparation: Doctorate of Nursing Science, Indiana University, School of Nursing, 1992; MA, Medical-Surgical Nursing Education, Ball State University, 1984; BS, Nursing, Olivet Nazarene University, 1975.

Teaching History: Baccalaureate Courses

Fundamentals of Nursing

Critical Care Nursing

Rehabilitation Nursing

Medical-Surgical Adult Health Nursing

Healthcare Terminology for Professionals and Consumers

In all courses taught, Dr. Twibell's student evaluation scores have been greater than 4.0 on a 5.0 scale, at times averaging 5.0.

Selected Publications:

"Concerns, values, stress, coping, health and educational outcomes of college students who study abroad," International Journal of Intercultural Relations, in press.

"Coping responses of families of critically ill patients," Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 1997.

"The effect of sensory stimulation activities on the psychological well-being of patients with advanced Alzheimer's Disease," American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 1997.

"Cross-cultural nursing: A report on faculty collaboration and regional networking," Nurse Educator, 1996.

"Spiritual and coping needs of critically ill patients," Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 1996.

"Health promotion and osteoporosis prevention among postmenopausal women," Preventive Medicine, 1995.

"Content validation study of nursing diagnoses in critical care," Heart & Lung, 1994.

"Barriers to osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal and elderly women," Geriatric Nursing, 1994.

Presentations (past six years): 10 international, 3 national, 38 regional, 12 state/local.

Two research programs on transcultural education and student learning in clinical settings culminated in nine teaching-learning research presentations in the past three years.

Grants Submitted (past six years): 17 internal, 14 external. 20 funded, $166, 768 total.

 

Biographical Sketch: KAY HODSON CARLTON, Ed.D., RN, FAAN

Present Position: Professor & Director, HealthCare Learning Resource Center & Associate Editor, COMPUTERS IN NURSING

Title: School of Nursing, Ball State University (1976-Present)

Educational Preparation: Ed.D., Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, 1982; MSN, Medical/Surgical Nursing, Indiana University, 1976; BSN, Ball State University, Nursing, 1973; MLS, Ball State University, Library Science, 1969; BS, Ball State University, Social Science, 1967.

Professional History: The major focus of my professional career for the past twenty years has been the design, development and implementation of technology and telecommunications in nursing and healthcare education and practice.

Creative Technology Works:

"Design, Development, & Implementation of World Wide Web Template for Course/Program Delivery," School of Nursing, Ball State University, 1996-present.

"CD ROM Development: Range of Motion: Clinical Problem Solving with Electronic Connections," Ball State University, 1994-97.

"Nursing Skill Videotapes: Fundamental Skills," Health Science Consortium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1990.

"Computerized Surgical Care Advisor Expert System," Ball State University, 1989-92.

"Simulated Hospital Information System (Mainframe & Microcomputer Versions)," Ball State University, 1988-90.

"DoseCalc: 12 Disk computer program providing diagnostic & tutorial instruction on drug dosage calculation," Saunders, 1984.

Publications: Articles:

"Designing Courses for the Internet," Nurse Educator, May/June, 1998.

"Technology as a tool for healthcare collaboration," Computers in Nursing, May, 1998.

"Partnerships for healthcare practice information," Computers in Nursing, 1997.

"Portfolio applications in a school of nursing," Nurse Educator, January, 1997.

"On-line and advanced telecommunications: Redefining continuing education delivery," Computers in Nursing, 1997.

"Implications for nursing education: A virtual Mrs. Chase and cyberspace learning," Computers in Nursing, 1996.

"Integrating electronic conferencing to enhance problem solving in nursing," Nurse Educator, 1996.

"Reengineering of the learning environment: linking the nursing student with the healthcare community," Computers in Nursing, 1996.

"Computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs," Computers in Nursing, 1996.

"The distant learner: Establishing technological healthcare resource links with the distant learner," Computers in Nursing, 1995.

"Electronic Library: a collaborative venture for education, Sigma Theta Tau and healthcare agencies," Sigma Theta Tau International Reflections, 1995.

Biographical Sketch: SHARON VAN HOVE, MS, RN

Present Position: Instructor, School of Nursing, Ball State University

Educational Preparation: Purdue University, A.D. Nursing, 1977; Purdue University, B.S. Nursing, 1981; Indiana University, M.S. Perinatal Nursing, 1989.

Teaching History: Baccalaureate Courses

Nursing of Childbearing Families

Foundations in Associate Nursing

Pediatrics

Health Appraisal

Employment History:

Charge Nurse, Obstetrics, Hendricks County Hospital, Danville, IN, 1977-1981.

Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN, 1981-1989.

Substitute School Nurse, Burris Laboratory School, Muncie, IN, 1994-1997.

Clinical Instructor, Ball State University School of Nursing, Muncie, IN, 1997-present.

Expectant Parent Class Instructor, Ball Memorial Hospital, Patient Education Department, Muncie, IN, 1997-present.

Safe Sitter Instructor, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, IN, 1997-present.



Last updated: July 06, 2006