Student outcomes of the healing web: evaluation of a transformative model for nursing education

The Healing Web is a transformative nursing model, bridging gaps between nursing education and practice, baccalaureate and associate degree education, and public and private educational institutions. It is an educational prototype in which nursing students experience collaborative clinical practice in a differentiated practice model. Based on the Healing Web framework, it was hypothesized that the educational partnership model would influence specific student competencies (i.e., caring abilities, leadership skills, assertiveness, and professional nursing behaviors). Students in the Healing Web program scored higher in caring knowing, caring courage, leadership, and assertiveness than their counterparts who participated in traditional clinical experiences. Students identified collaboration, partnership with students and staff, and learning to value different nursing roles as primary benefits of the experience. Findings support the contribution of Healing Web experiences to selected student outcomes, but the research is limited by instrumentation, small numbers, and the question of adequate "dosage." Future research will emphasize qualitative methods to explicate significant concepts more completely.