2015

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015 ECCC Nursing Curriculum to change models begimling with fall 2015 classes A curriculum change for East Central

patient-centered care, teamwork and collabo– ration, use of evidence– based practice, continu– ous quality improve– ment, focus on safety, increased use of infor– matics and new roles for nurses. Proposed changes in nursing education are student-centered learn– ing and engagement, partnerships in the edu– cational process, improved clinical rea– soning/critical thinking, use of critical thinking in arts and sciences and infusion of technology. ''Transitioning to the concept-based curricu– lum allows ECCC to be at the forefront of these national changes in nursing and nursing education," Thomas said. Thomas said all nurs- \ ing programs in Mississippi have either completely transitioned or are in transition to a concept-based curricu– lum, which is a form of critical thinking in which students organ– ize and categorize con– tent using concepts. It does not rely on memo-

rization, but instead stresses the under– standing of the altered concepts in patient care scenarios. "Conceptual learning challenges students to think at more advanced levels and to relate pre– viously learned concepts to new learning out– comes," she added. For more information, contact Thomas at 601- 635-6294 or email dthomas@eccc.edu. Nursing Scholarship Established The Mississippi Organization for Associate Degi·ee Nursing (M-OADN) and ASNEC Scholarship was recently estab– lished at East Central Community College in Decatur. The new schol– arship was established in January 2015 to honor the profession of nursing, specifically the associate degree nurse. M-OADN is a state organization primarily interested in working to retain the registered nurse title and the scope of practice for the asso– ciate . degree nurse.

Community College's Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing programs was recently adopted, mov– ing from the current "medical model" to a newly designed "concept model." As a result of the changes, new admission requirements for the Associate Degree Nursing program were also approved and are available on the college website www.eccc.edu/health– care-education. Applications for Fall 2015 classes are also available on the website and must be received with all documentation by ·Monday, June 1, 2015. Successful candi– dates will be notified by June 5. ''The curriculum change will link nursing content together in order to enhance under– standing of nursing con– cepts," said Denita Thomas, ECCC Dean of. Healthcare Education. ''It is a streamlined cur– riculum which better prepares today's nurse to succeed in our ever– evolving healthcare industry." With the ongoing cur- 1i.culum changes, the program of study has •• : \ ... · • _en t"5°t b– lished, but upon final approval, it will be epiailed to each appli– cant and available on the college website.

APPEARED

CARTHAGlt· NEWTON Cr SPIRIT OF I\

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MER I DIAN~

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