A reflective commentary on professional nursing education / Pauline Rose L. Gregorio

I have come to understand that my preference for lectures and focus on content to be delivered, instead of how to teach it, has been influenced by my views on the nature of nursing and its educational approach, as well as the socio-economic and political factors that control education. I have learned from Carper (1978) that the science of nursing is dependent on the knowledge of human behavior in health and in illness objectively gained through empirical research; whereas, the art of nursing is based on the aesthetic performance of technical skills involved in the practice. Although nursing is both a science and art, this belief is not reflected in nursing education because of the curriculum's emphasis on the science of nursing, technology, and medicine. In my experience as a teacher, I have been bound to deliver essential concepts as stated in the curriculum because of my desire to prepare my students to pass licensure exams such as the Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam (PNLE) and National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).In keeping up with my institution's goals, I have to ensure that my students meet the basic competencies and professional standards required of a registered nurse. In my country, the Philippine nursing law, otherwise known as the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, requires me, as with any nurse educator, to provide a professional foundation for practice through education, among others (Republic Act No. This type of model is based on the reductionist or techno-rationalist ideology that there is a common body of knowledge that everyone must learn (Wallace, 2012), and in the nursing context, the mastery of nursing knowledge and skills. As Jarvis (1983) puts it, the educational process in this sense is concerned not on the production of a competent nurse, but the production of a nurse who has the ability to recognize and maintain competent practice through life-long education or continuing professional development. Although I may have been product-oriented and teacher centered, I could foster learning by being student-centered, placing emphasis to the learning process by facilitating an active learning environment. For the first and second year levels, I plan to utilize a technical-rational approach, as suggested by French and Cross (1992), because it is at this level that students need to learn the science of nursing and the standards of practice. Moreover, it is assumed that students at this level are dependent on the educational institution (French & Cross, 1992).In order to promote an active learning environment, I must develop activities that promote student engagement such as the use of flash cards, mind maps, picture analysis and other graphic organizers, as well as open-ended questions and return demonstrations to facilitate deep learning.

Nursing.