BELIEFS ABOUT LEARNING AND NURSING EDUCATION

Learning.  Learning is a continuous, life-long process of self-discovery, knowledge development, evaluation, and growth. It is individualistic and proceeds in a simple to complex manner from the level of development, interests, and motivations of the learner. The teaching-learning process is reciprocal and interactive with faculty and students sharing the cooperative enterprise of learning, inquiry, teaching, and evaluation. The learner is an active participant who assumes responsibility for his/her own learning, and independent learning is fostered by encouragement and support of the learner's self-directed inquiry. The role of the faculty is to support critical thinking, facilitate the learning process, and provide and foster opportunities for life-long learning.

Nursing Education.  Nursing is primarily an intellectual endeavor and requires that its practitioners develop critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and disciplined modes of inquiry that are used in the practice of nursing. Nurses and nursing students should develop an understanding of the humanities, learn the fundamentals of the natural and social sciences, and acquire skills and perspectives unique to the field of nursing. One of the faculty's major responsibilities is to develop and implement a nursing curriculum that draws from other disciplines; that organizes content around the fundamental concepts of health, humankind, and environment; and develops full appreciation of nursing's special obligation to teach. The faculty is equally aware of the responsibility to students and nurses to engage actively and continuously in opportunities that will enhance nursing competence and personal awareness. Furthermore, the faculty is sensitive to variations among students that may influence how rapidly and expertly they may be able to assume adequate nursing knowledge and related responsibilities. They encourage personal expressions of interest and preferences within the academic traditions of the University.

The faculty support the concept of educational mobility to provide opportunities for qualified students to enter new careers. The faculty recognize that students learn in many ways and their competencies may be validated by a variety of internal and external evaluative measures.

Continuing education is a part of nursing education and is supportive to the concept of lifelong learning.

The focus of baccalaureate education in nursing is to prepare an individual with general nursing skills, knowledge, and values, who can function as a nurse within the health care system to provide comprehensive service to individuals, families, groups, and communities. The graduate of the baccalaureate program is prepared to (1) be accountable for his/her own nursing practice, (2) accept responsibility for the provision of nursing care through others, (3) develop methods of working collaboratively with other health professionals, and (4) practice in a variety of health care settings.

The Baccalaureate Program in Nursing is characterized by a foundation in scientific and humanistic disciplines inherent in learning upon which is built the major in nursing. In addition to nursing courses, upper division studies include courses that complement the nursing component and increase the depth of general education. The structure of the Baccalaureate Program in nursing follows the same pattern as that of other baccalaureate programs at the University.

Differences may be found in practice settings and in the level of autonomy. However, the complexity of decision-making within the nursing process is a major component in the differentiation of roles and levels of nursing practice between the associate degree nurse and the baccalaureate-prepared nurse.

The focus of master's education in nursing is to prepare beginning nursing scholars, leaders, educators, and advanced practice nurses with a specialty focus in clinical nursing. The master's degree specialties include nurse educator, nurse administrator, clinical nurse specialists, and acute and primary care nurse practitioners who serve individuals, families, and aggregate groups within diverse populations and settings.

The focus of the practice doctoral degree in nursing is on the translation of research into practice, transformational leadership, and advanced nursing practice across healthcare settings.

The focus of research doctoral education in nursing is to develop nurse scientists who are expert research scholars who are able to provide leadership in nursing practice, policy, research, and education.

Graduate education in nursing is characterized by a philosophy of expanding ideas and emphasis on knowledge development in nursing and health care. The primary goal of graduate nursing education is the development, transmission, and organization of nursing knowledge and the translation of that knowledge into practice in order to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities throughout society. The graduate nursing programs are an integral part of the Graduate School and graduate education at Penn State.

Revised and Approved April 13, 2015