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Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education Course Development Proposal
NUR 301: Sexual Health: Significance for Nursing
Ball State University


II. Abstract

Sexuality is an important aspect of human health. As health care providers, nurses must be prepared with the knowledge and communication skills to address issues of sexuality and sexual health throughout the life span with their patients. A course delivered on the World Wide Web, NUR 301:Sexual Health would provide information about sexuality throughout the life span along with alterations related to illness, surgery and medications. It would also provide opportunities for nursing students to explore their own attitudes toward sexuality and to develop the communication skills to approach this sensitive topic. The amount requested from IHETS for the development of this for-credit course for first-time technology delivery is $12,000, with $6000 matched by institutional funds.


III. Narrative

1.– 2. Need to be Addressed and Learners to be Served

Sexual health is part of holistic health across the entire life span. One might think from all of the media hype that the public is sophisticated in their knowledge about sexuality and sexual health. However, misconceptions and misunderstandings continue to abound. These misconceptions have an effect on both physical and emotional health.

Nurses have many opportunities to promote sexual health. They work in hospitals, physician offices, health clinics, and schools and in other community health settings. They have contact with individuals and families at all stages of growth and development. They provide care for individuals and families seeking preventive health services, experiencing acute illnesses, and living with chronic illnesses.

Providing education concerning normal sexual development from infancy through adolescence can provide parents with the tools they need to promote positive feelings about sexuality within the context of their own family and cultural values. The aging population in the United States is increasing. The effect of aging on the body and on sexual response will be a growing issue related to health. The interplay of biology, physiology, and psychology related to aging and sexuality must be understood to help this population to adapt to the changes they are experiencing.

Illness or surgery can have a definite impact on body image and sexual function. Nurses must be prepared to include assessment of sexual health and to address sexual concerns with their patients who have had such problems as a recent heart attack, a mastectomy or sexual dysfunction related to chronic illness or medication.

Nurses must be well educated about the basics of human reproductive anatomy and physiology, the human sexual response, sexuality throughout the life cycle and alterations related to illness, surgery and medications. They must also be knowledgeable about types of sexual expression, disorders of sexual functioning, today’s issues of safer sex, and the available resources to help their patients to have optimum sexual health as a component of total health. In addition to knowledge, today’s nurse needs the communication skills to approach what is certainly a sensitive topic. Students can benefit from taking a course specifically designed to provide them with scientific information and with the opportunity to learn and practice communication skills. When they feel more comfortable they will be able to help their patients feel more comfortable in asking what may seem initially like an unaskable question.


The target audience for NUR 301: Sexual Health includes associate and baccalaureate nursing students. Baccalaureate students include those from both traditional and RN to BS completion programs. Initial beta testing will be done with students in Indiana. The course will then be promoted and offered nationwide. An additional population for this course will be practicing RN’s who are seeking continuing education credits.

 

3. Rationale for Choice of Course and Technologies to be Used

NUR 301: Sexual Health was chosen as the focus of this proposal because of the need for today’s nurse to have the knowledge and communication skills to address sexual health as part of total health throughout the life span. Unfortunately, the course has not had sufficient enrollment in recent years due to the inability of students to fit upper division electives in their final semesters of the nursing curricula. Required nursing courses include not only class time but also full days devoted to clinical experiences. Web based delivery of NUR 301 will offer the student both accessibility and flexibility. An email survey of 83 sophomore/junior level nursing students was conducted to explore interest in taking an elective sexual health course if it was offered via the WWW. 46 of the 51 respondents indicated that they would be interested in the course and several cited web based delivery as a factor in their positive response. A review of popular and health care oriented literature indicates that the response from this sampling is representative of the health care profession and general public interest in sexual health issues.

The nursing courses in the RN to BS completion program at Ball State University are currently totally web delivered. NUR 301 would be offered as an elective for them. RN to BS completion students from other universities would have also have the opportunity to take this course if it is web delivered.


Offering this course as an elective that is web delivery based offers several advantages over the classroom based approach:

1. The course will be more readily available to students who might otherwise have scheduling conflicts or who live in other areas of the state/nation.

2. Experience with web based courses thus far at BSU School of Nursing has demonstrated that an asynchronous format allows students who are uncomfortable speaking up in class to develop effective communication skills. This format also often allows students to give more thoughtful responses to their classmates’ comments. Sharing information and learning from each other is enhanced.


3. Digitized and streaming video and digitized audio of patient interviews along with case scenarios will allow the instructor to role model communication techniques as well as providing students with an opportunity for analyzing real patient problems and potential solutions.


4. Students can explore Internet web resources for professional and consumer based information on sexual health issues.


5. The course will be designed in modules that could be web delivered continuing education offerings for practicing nurses. Examples of module topics that could be expanded to offer continuing education are “Aging and Sexuality”, “The Impact of Medical Conditions on Sexual Health” and “Cultural Diversity and Sexual Health”.


4. Institutional Capacity and Commitment

Widespread support for this project arises from BSU, the School of Nursing, University Computing Services and technological support units. 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 to BS 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. The BSU Teleplex distance education team will follow their standard procedure for the production of video for classroom teaching use and support of distance learning.


5. Instructional Design and Delivery Plan

The Project Director will complete the following activities for the instructional design of the course: Evaluate current course content/objectives and redesign instructional methods for a web delivered format, revise the syllabus to reflect these changes, identify appropriate WWW linkage sites, identify and obtain needed images through use of BSU owned royalty free materials and use of a digital camera, identify and contact resources for patient interviews (potential resources include support groups, American Cancer Society, physician offices), conduct patient interviews, develop student assessment tools for a web delivered format, pilot test course modules and make needed revisions.


The following technologies will be used to prepare NUR 301 for WWW format:


Learning modules will include reading assignments, case presentations/clinical scenarios for discussion, video clips demonstrating communication/interview techniques, quizzes over factual information, and investigation of WWW resources for patient education. The course will consist of fifteen modules. Examples of module topics include: Childhood and Sexuality, Adolescence and Sexual Health, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Contraception, Developmental Disabilities and Sexual Health, and Sexual Dysfunction.


6. How the Instructional Design will Fit the Needs of the Target Audience

The use of asynchronous technology for class discussion and online quizzes (INQSIT) will provide the target audience with the flexibility to complete course requirements at times that are convenient for them. Use of patient interview video clips provides the instructor with the ability to role model effective communication skills and allows the students to have the opportunity to analyze real patient problems and possible solutions. Links to other WWW sites will provide the students with a broad range of resources for their own learning and for use in patient education.


7. Course Evaluation Plan

Formative Evaluation: Two senior level nursing students will evaluate design, user friendliness, and completion time for the first three modules during development. BSU faculty in instructional design and the Director of the School of Nursing will review the project after completion of the first three modules and again after all modules are completed. Each module will be reviewed by nursing faculty who teach related content. For example, the modules on Aging and Sexuality and The Impact of Medical Conditions on Sexual Health will be reviewed by faculty who teach NUR 330 and NUR 340: Adult Health: Nursing Care across the Adult Life Span. The modules on Childhood and Sexuality and Adolescence and Sexual Health will be reviewed by faculty teaching NUR 408: Pediatrics. The review by various course faculty will assure that NUR 301 content relates to the health and illness content that is covered in these courses.

An on-line formative evaluation form will be developed and completed by students taking the course after modules 1, 5 and 10. This form will be used to evaluate the use of the teaching methods being utilized. Ongoing adaptations of the modules and teaching methods will be made as indicated by these evaluations.


Summative Evaluation: BSU’s well-established course evaluation plan will be utilized for summative evaluation. Summative evaluation will look at both the teaching methods utilized and the achievement of course objectives.


8. Quality and/or Transferability Plans and/or Strategies

The quality of the course will be ensured by adherence to the formative and summative evaluation plan described in the previous section. Periodic peer review will be conducted.

Nursing leaders in reproductive/sexual health will be invited to review select modules to evaluate the potential of adapting them for nursing continuing education credit. Potential reviewers include Susan Wysocki, RN, NP president of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, Kathy Furniss, RN, Board of Directors for the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses, and Sharon Schnare, RN, a nationally recognized lecturer at nursing conferences on human sexuality issues.


9. How the Course Fits into other Efforts in Indiana

Four of the 21 Healthy People 2000 priority areas have sexual health content. These include Family Planning, Violent and Abusive Behavior (reduce rape and attempted rape), HIV Infection and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Indiana efforts to reach the objectives within these priority areas is reflected in the work of the Indiana State Health Department, Indiana Title X funded family planning agencies, Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and several other state, regional and local organizations. Organizations with Indiana offices focusing on medical conditions such as the American Cancer Society and others also see sexuality as an important issue to address. Through this course, future nurses can learn about the resources available to patients. Many of these agencies utilize nurses as consultants, educators and direct health care service providers. Student nurses who become aware of the services and the needs of these agencies may be interested in becoming more involved in helping them achieve their goals.


10. Marketing Plan

NUR 301: Sexual Health will be advertised in the Ball State Undergraduate Catalog and on the BSU School of Nursing web home page as well as the University and Continuing Education web home pages. Faculty will distribute information at state and regional conferences. Flyers will be sent to other nursing schools and to student nursing association representatives in Indiana. This course will be registered with search engines on the Internet. Metatags will be embedded into the BSU course web pages to ensure that the course can be found by these search engines. It will also be mentioned in national marketing articles for the School of Nursing. A recent description of the currently available online nursing programs at BSU printed in a nationally distributed nursing publication, Spectrum, elicited over 150 requests for application materials to the school’s RN to BS completion program and graduate level nurse practitioner program.


11. Project Schedule

  1. Jan. 2000: Notification of grant awards

  2. Feb.– May 2000: Conceptualize the instructional design and evaluate technological needs. Hire technical assistant to begin work in June 2000. Initiate marketing plan.

  3. June – Aug. 2000: Develop Modules 1-10. Conduct formative evaluation of first three modules. Make revisions as indicated by evaluations.

  4. Sept. – Dec. 2000: Pilot test the first ten modules and complete development of modules 11-15. Continue formative evaluation making revisions as indicated.

  5. Jan. – May 2001: Offer NUR 301 as a completely web delivery based course. Conduct formative and summative course evaluations.

  6. June – Aug. 2001: Evaluate and make revisions.


12. Key Course Development Personnel

Beth Kelsey, MS, RNC, NP, instructor and project director will develop/adapt the course content for web based delivery. She will also be responsible for evaluation of the project. Ms. Kelsey has 19 years of experience as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in family planning, prenatal and sexually transmitted disease clinics and eight years of teaching experience. She has developed and taught two web based courses for the graduate nursing program – NUR 684 Primary Care of Women; NUR 634 Advanced Health Assessment.


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

The technical assistant will have an educational/work experience background in the technology-related skills required for WWW course development. Two senior level nursing students will evaluate the first three modules during development.



IV. Proposal Budget Narrative

Personnel:
Two school of nursing faculty, a technical assistant and two undergraduate assistants have been included in the project. Faculty will design, implement and evaluate the project. The technical assistant will provide technical support for course development, particularly with regard to graphics. The two undergraduate assistants will be nursing students who will assist in the evaluation of the first three modules during development. Costs incurred will include salary and fringe benefits. The Project Director’s (Beth Kelsey) salary is budgeted for 50% assigned time during Summer 2000. The Health Care Learning Resource Center Coordinator’s (Kay Hodson Carlton) salary is budgeted for 5% time during Summer 2000 and 5% time during Fall Semester 2000-2001. The technical assistant salary is budgeted for 1006 hours at $5.15 per hour. The two undergraduate assistants (student nurses) are budgeted for 30 hours each at $5.15 per hour.

Travel:
The project director will travel by car to various health facilities in east central Indiana to conduct both patient and nurse interviews to be used as case scenarios in the course modules.

Other Direct Costs:
Long distance telephone: The project director will arrange interviews of patients and nurses and will conduct some of the interviews by telephone.

Printing/duplicating: A course handbook will be developed for students taking the course.

Fringe Benefits:
Fringe Benefits are computed using the University's rate of 32% of salary amount during the academic year and 21% of the salary amount during the summer. Health insurance is withheld during the academic year period only.


V. Appendix

Biographical Sketch: Beth Kelsey, MS, RNC, NP
 Faculty Position: Instructor, School of Nursing, Ball State University (1997 – present).
Clinical Position: Nurse Practitioner, Open Door Health Clinic (1998 – present)

Educational Preparation: MS in Nursing, Ball State University, 1996; MS in Adult Education, Ball State University, 1986; BS in Health Sciences, Ball State University, 1982; Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate, Family Planning Training Center/Ohio State University, 1980; Diploma in Nursing, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, 1975.


Teaching History:

Graduate Courses:
Advanced Health Assessment - currently a web delivered course
Primary Care of Women – currently a web delivered course
(Ms. Kelsey designed both of these courses for web delivery)
Advanced Practice Nursing and Role Theory – currently a web delivered course

Baccalaureate Courses: Nursing of the Childbearing Family
Associate Courses: The Childbearing Family and Foundations in Associate Nursing


Selected Presentations:
 August 1999 Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Course
Health Leadership Associates, Chicago, IL
October 1998 Women’s Health on the Internet
Women’s Health Care in the New Millennium, Las Vegas, NV
June 1998 Women’s Health Issues
3rd Annual College/School Health Nurse Conference, Muncie, IN
October 1997 HIV Screening in Family Planning Clinics
Annual State Family Planning Conference, Traverse City, MI


Selected Publications:
Kelsey, B. and Salomone, A. (1999) Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Study Question Book. Potomac, MD: Health Leadership Associates, Inc.
Kelsey, B. and Freeman, S. Identifying and treating pelvic inflammatory disease. American Journal of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner Supplement), Dec. 1997. Hodson, K. and Kelsey, B. Electronic health care resources: Partnerships for health care practice information. Computers in Nursing, 1997; 15(3).


Biographical Sketch: Kay Hodson Carlton, RN, Ed.D., FAAN
Faculty Position: Professor and Coordinator, Health Care Learning Resource Center, School of Nursing, Ball State University (1976 – present).
National Professional Position: Associate Editor, COMPUTERS IN NURSING
Educational Preparation: Ed.D., 1979 1982, Indiana University, Instructional Systems Technology; M.S.N., 1974 1976, Indiana University, Medical/Surgical Nursing; B.S.N, 1970 1973, Ball State University, Nursing & Biological Sciences; M.L.S., 1968 1969, Ball State University, Library Science; B.S., 1964 1967, Ball State University, Social Science & Library Science.


Teaching History:
Graduate Courses:
Nursing and Computer Technology – currently a web delivered course
Teaching in Nursing – course in development for web delivery

 

Selected Publications:
Miller, P.A. & Hodson Carlton, K.E. Synchronous communication technology tools in practice – future and current uses. Computers in Nursing, November-December, 1998.

Miller, P.A. & Hodson Carlton, K.E. (1998). Technology as a tool for health care collaboration. Computers in Nursing, 16, (1), 27-29.

Hodson Carlton, K.E., Ryan, M., & Siktberg, L. A Conceptual approach to developing courses for the Internet. Nurse Educator, May-June, 1998.

Hodson Carlton, K.E. (1997). On-line and advanced telecommunications: redefining continuing education delivery. Computers in Nursing, 15(1), 17-18, 22.

Hodson Carlton, K.E. (1997). Partnerships for health care practice information. Computers in Nursing, 15(3), 117-119.

Hodson Carlton, K.E. (1996). Reengineering of the learning environment: Linking the nursing student with the healthcare community. Computers in Nursing, 14(1), 19-20.

Witucki, J.M., Hodson Carlton, K.E. (1996). Integrating electronic conferencing to enhance problem solving in nursing. Nurse Educator, 21(4), 8-12.


Selected Presentations:

Hodson Carlton, K. & Miller, P. "Enhanced Partnerships in community healthcare through telecommunications," FITNE Conference: Information Technology and Community Healthcare. Orlando, Florida, March 2, 1998.

Hodson Carlton, K. & Russell, K. "Partnering for refocused healthcare delivery in community settings: challenges for nursing education," FITNE Conference: Information Technology and Community Healthcare. St. Louis, Missouri, July 22, 1997.

Hodson Carlton, K. "Learning Resource Centers: How to make them work," Teaching and Learning in a Technological Era: New Strategies and Tools, New York University, New York, June 5, 1997.

Brigham C., Hodson Carlton K., & Czerwinska J. "Electronic collaboration for problem solving: Range of Motion Skills." Annual Conference of the American Nurses Association Council for Professional Nursing Education and Development, Kissimmee, Florida, October 26, 1996.

Hodson Carlton K. & Kelsey B. "Internet health care resources for the nurse practitioner," 12th Annual Region V Nurse Practitioner's Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, October 14, 1996

Dillard N. & Hodson Carlton K. "Collaborative partnerships in creating a technologically interactive classroom," National League for Nursing Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, September 29, 1996.

Dillard N. & Hodson Carlton K. "Collaborative partnerships & electronic linkages," 17th Annual Midwest Alliance in Nursing," Indianapolis, Indiana, September 13, 1996.


Awards and Honors:

Fellow of American Academy of Nursing, 1997; Outstanding Teaching Award, School of Nursing, Ball State University, 1995-96; Kellogg Fellow, Kellogg Foundation/Partner of the Americas Fellowship in International Development, 1991-93; Nurse Scholars Program. HealthQuest-HBO Corporation, 1991; Outstanding Ball State University Faculty Member, Ball State University, 1990; Excellence in Leadership Award, Beta Rho, Sigma Theta Tau, 1989; Outstanding Alumnus for Contributions to Nursing Education, Ball State University, 1987.


Grants (External Funding)

Miller, P., & Hodson Carlton, K. (1998-1999). Technology as a Tool for Health Care Collaboration in Practice and Education. George and Francis Ball Foundation, $20,000.

Hodson Carlton K., Miller, P., & Dillard, N. (1997-1998). Responding to Changing (Dynamic) Environments: Multidisciplinary Telecommunications in Client Case Study Collaboration & Care. George and Francis Ball Foundation, $40,000.

Hodson Carlton K., Dillard N., & Melo D. (1997). Healthcare Computer Networking: HBOC & Company, Ball Memorial Healthcare Corporation & Cardinal Healthcare Alliance, and Ball State University, $74,750.

Russell K., Hodson Carlton K., & Irvine P. (1996-1999). Preparing Health Practitioners for the Future: George and Francis Ball Foundation, $60,000.

Hodson Carlton K. & Brigham C. (1995-1996). Learning Resources for Lifelong Learning Conference Sponsorship: Helene Fuld Health Trust, $20,000.

Hodson, K.E., Brigham, C.J., Hanson, A.C., & Graves, J. (1994-1995). Electronic library: a collaborative venture for education, Sigma Theta Tau and health care agencies, Sigma Theta Tau International Development Grant, Free electronic network access.



Last updated: June 21, 2006