Online nurse practitioner education: Achieving student competencies

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Online Learning Pedagogy

Background:

• The increasing demand for advanced practice nurses necessitates innovative educational models.
• Traditional NP programs face challenges in scalability and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the methodologies of a fully online Nurse Practitioner (NP) program.
• To outline a curriculum framework integrating experiential and adult learning theories.
• To highlight key components: faculty facilitation, preceptor preparation, student evaluation, and clinical partnership development.

Main Methods:

• Curricular framework based on experiential and adult learning theories.
• Integration of problem-based learning (PBL) as a core pedagogical strategy.
• Focus on faculty's role in online facilitation and mentorship.
• Systematic approach to preceptor preparation and student assessment.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of an online NP program using PBL.
• Development of effective strategies for faculty facilitation in a virtual environment.
• Establishment of robust preceptor training and student evaluation processes.
• Creation of engaging and sustainable clinical partnerships.

Conclusions:

• Online NP programs can effectively utilize experiential and adult learning theories.
• Problem-based learning is a viable and engaging method for online nursing education.
• Strategic focus on faculty, preceptors, and partnerships is crucial for program success.