NEWS

New program to give nurses tools for effective teaching

CHAPEL HILL -- With the nation facing a growing nursing shortage, nurses are being called on more and more to fill the role of educator for staff, patients and students.

Beginning in July, a new program offered by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing will give nurses the tools they need to effectively teach in clinical and academic settings.

The certificate in nursing education program, made up of two four-day institutes, two focused teaching workshops and a final education project, is designed for those who have not had an opportunity to attend formal education courses or who desire an update in teaching theory and strategies.

"The program was developed in response to a need identified by nurses for a more in-depth understanding of an effective teaching process to use in clinical as well as academic settings," said program coordinator and clinical associate professor Dr. Bonnie Angel.

There are no prerequisites for the program, and activities are spread over a two-year period, making the program an enrichment opportunity many nurses from across the state should be able to fit into their busy schedules, Angel said.

Among the topics to be covered are education theory, measurement and research findings related to learning style preferences and teaching strategies; methods for evaluation in teaching; instructional strategies to increase critical thinking; development and use of World Wide Web-based technologies in nursing and nursing education; issues in course or program development; and management of unsafe learners in clinical settings.

The cost of the program is $900 for those registering for the entire certificate program, and $1,200 for those paying for requirements individually.

For more information, call the School of Nursing’s department of continuing education at (919) 966-3638 or e-mail the office at nursing_ce@unc.edu.

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School of Nursing contact: Sunny Smith Nelson at (919) 966-1412