Context, Learner Population, and the Importance of the Program 

Duke University School of Nursing is one of the best universities nationwide for nursing education, research, and practice. It is among the top nursing schools in the United States, where compassionate and skilled nurses are prepared through creative educational activities tailored to address the challenges of the dynamic healthcare system (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.-a). The ABSN program at Duke is an accelerated program that takes 16 months to complete and offers 58 credit hours, including the electives. It is an educational-practice research-based program that trains students to provide optimum and competent service delivery in different practicing fields.

The learner population includes motivated adult learners with diverse academic and work experience and strong critical thinking and interpersonal skills (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d-b). Most learners are professionals who want to switch careers and find themselves in a position where they can help others. This program aims to fill this gap because the nursing profession is experiencing a severe shortage in the United States, and healthcare delivery is becoming more intricate. By developing the competencies required in the current practice setting, the ABSN program meets the staffing needs of an impending shortage, enhances patient care, and fosters the profession’s growth when the curriculum incorporates leadership, flexibility, and evidence-based concepts.

Mission, Course Explanations, and Critical Analysis

Duke University School of Nursing’s mission is to serve communities and the world through the generation of knowledge that fosters health equity and social justice, as well as the leadership development of nurses. This is done through transformative excellence in education, clinical practice, and nursing science. It focuses on differentiation in research, education, and patient care based on appreciation of human beings, society, environment, health, healthcare delivery, nursing, and teaching and learning (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d-b). This accelerated 16-month ABSN program includes fully online, traditional face-to-face, and blended courses to provide effective student learning.

The program is designed for four semesters and focuses on basic nursing, clinical leadership, and technology. Nursing majors must attain 58 credits for graduation, with required and elective nursing courses. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, and cultural competence, with six elective credits needed to allow students to explore areas of interest (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.-c). Course outlines and credit distribution are presented in Appendices, Table 1. The ABSN program at Duke University aims to develop a qualified nursing workforce by incorporating key concepts such as health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and population health, aligning with literature recommendations (Purabdollah et al., 2023).

The integration of electives allows for specialization and flexibility. However, the program could benefit from a clearer integration of emerging technologies like telehealth and AI (Wangpitipanit et al., 2024). Additionally, while leadership and teamwork are emphasized, the curriculum could further highlight conflict resolution and advanced communication in interprofessional settings. Introducing research methods early could enhance students’ evidence-based practice skills.

Professional Standards, Guidelines, and Competencies

This program encompasses the professional standards and competencies for producing skilled and research-based nurses. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) fully accredits the ABSN curriculum at Duke (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.-d). It ensures that this program is accredited so that it can be known to meet educational and professional standards. It is used mostly to ensure compliance and recognition with the standards relevant to higher education and nursing practice industries. Another important set of principles that this program is based on is the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials – a guide to the curriculum for nursing education. Several competencies from this framework that Duke’s curriculum meets comprise leadership development, population health, and nursing practice knowledge (AACN, 2021).

The ABSN courses Professional Nursing: Evolution as a Leader, Community and Public Health Nursing, and Health Assessment and Foundations for Nursing Practice Across the Lifespan are based on developing these nursing competencies. The program also incorporates the QSEN competencies, including patient-centered care, communication and teamwork, informatics/evidence-based practice, and safety. This is seen in the course flow, as depicted in Table 1, where interprofessional collaborative practice, quality care, simulation, and clinical experiences are the key features to enhance safety and quality improvement principles. By incorporating these standards and competencies in the ABSN program at Duke, graduates exhibit clinical performance and provide high leadership and collaboration in the healthcare sector.

Program Learning Outcomes and Professional Standards/Competencies

The program outcomes of Duke University School of Nursing’s ABSN program are as follows (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d-b): 

1. Scholarly Development: Graduates will be able to find research questions, assess the existing literature, and utilize the findings to present new approaches to practice. This corresponds to the AACN Essential Scholarship in Nursing, especially research, evidence-based practice, and inquiry in nursing practice (AACN, 2021).
2. Nursing Identity and Integrity: Graduates will exhibit professionalism in their adherence to the principles of evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, and the quality and safety of the patients they attend to across diverse populations. This outcome relates to the AACN Essentials and QSEN competencies of patient-centered care and quality and safety. 
3. Clinical Judgment and Synthesis: Graduates will apply nursing knowledge to other fields to achieve safe, quality care and enhance health among populations of different diversities. This will align with the QSEN competencies of teamwork and collaboration (Dolansky et al., 2024). 
4. Interprofessional Teamwork: Graduates can demonstrate professional interpersonal interactions and nursing perspectives in interprofessional healthcare teams, per the AACN standards of interprofessional work (AACN, 2021).
5. Leadership in Nursing Care: Graduates will apply leadership skills to guarantee the quality of nursing care, organize teams, and organize the care process. This relates to the AACN Essentials and QSEN competencies of leadership and quality care (Dolansky et al., 2024).
6. Cultural Sensitivity and Health Promotion: Graduates will assess and apply sociocultural and political dimensions in health and health promotion. This relates to AACN Essentials and QSEN competencies (patient-centered care), specifically health disparities and vulnerable populations.
7. Data Integration for Care Improvement: Graduates will use valid information from different sources to assess and enhance care, emphasizing nurse-sensitive outcomes. This supports the AACN Essentials, which state that data should be used to improve patient outcomes.

The Process to Update Healthcare Knowledge 

A dynamic process of curriculum revision through evidence-based practice (EBP) should be employed to update health knowledge in a nursing curriculum. Several studies showed that educational nursing programs implemented by EBP could improve the knowledge and skills of future nurses and, thus, clinical practices (Cardoso, 2021). The process starts with a comprehensive environmental assessment to determine new research, technology, and patient care requirements. Next, professors and clinicians should collaborate to incorporate new information into the curriculum as it is consistent with best practices.

Moreover, simulation-based learning can improve the students’ practical skills in applying newly acquired knowledge (Mehdipour –Rabori et al., 2021). The next step is to link the digital tools and online resources to ensure the possibility of updating them in real time and using the latest findings in further training. The process should also embrace feedback mechanisms from students, faculty, and other healthcare practitioners to assess improvement areas.

This paradigm helps guarantee curriculum updates that prepare nursing students to learn the most cutting-edge and progressive enhancements to patient-centered care. This process is justified because it enables the nursing curriculum to keep abreast with various advanced practices and innovations in the healthcare sector. This approach is consistent with current professional requirements, including the AACN Essentials and QSEN competencies, which means graduates can be ready for high-quality patient-centered care (Dolansky et al., 2024).

Organizing Design and Theoretical Framework

The ABSN program offered at Duke University illustrates the competency-based course design. Competency-based education (CBE) is a teaching-learning model and an assessment and feedback, reflection, and reporting paradigm (Lewis et al., 2022). This design helps nursing students move from one level to another because they are presented with competencies they need to meet before they are presented with harder concepts. For instance, the courses offered in the first semester of ABSN include health assessment and pharmacology, which precedes pathophysiology and population health, ensuring that mastery of nursing skills is progressive.

On the other hand, the program is anchored on Benner’s Novice to Expert Model. This model emphasizes the development of nursing expertise through a series of stages. These include novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert levels (Sterner et al., 2021). At Duke, this is captured in the program’s progression, which is sequential, like clinical experiences. The first stage in the program is the novice stage, characterized by the performance of elementary nursing skills in simulated environments. They move to higher patient care experiences and show competent and proficient skills. For instance, students start the program working under close supervision, and by the end of the program, they are expected to provide patient care with less supervision to show the expert stage. It encourages the development of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and personal practice while students achieve the stated competencies. 

Historical Overview of Design and Theoretical Model

CBE was conceived in the early 20th century due to changes required to transition from time-based learning to performance-based systems. It only started to grow in the 1970s, particularly in vocational and healthcare training, where the issue of showing competency profiles was vital. CBE ensures student mastery of certain defined skills and knowledge before they progress; this is very important in nursing education, especially given the safety needs of patients and the promotion of clinical competence (Lewis et al., 2022). In the same way, Benner’s Model of Novice to Expert, proposed in 1984, is a useful tool to complete CBE since it offers the framework to analyze nurses’ clinical experience.

According to Benner, the model focuses on the journey from novice to expert through experience and knowing in practice (Sterner et al., 2021). CBE and Benner’s model integrates into the ABSN program at Duke University. Students must be proficient at some level throughout learning and advance toward the expert level of clinical judgment and technical skills within a relatively short period. 

Significant Concepts of Design and the Model

CBE is based more on the mastery of certain content knowledge and skills than on seat time. Its key ideas are competency frameworks, learning maps, master learning, and criteria-referenced evaluations (Lewis et al., 2022). Such elements ensure that students can develop important skills in terms of definite standards and then prove their proficiency in practical situations. CBE is based on competency-based education, the main aim of which is to produce learning outcomes that reflect the achievement of the intended learning outcomes and prepare learners for professional practice. Benner’s Novice to Expert Model identifies five nursing proficiency levels: Novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. The model is based on the fact that clinical experience is accumulated throughout the years and practice.

These are situational awareness, decision-making, and skill development (Sterner et al., 2021). When applied to the ABSN curriculum, CBE and Benner’s model fit because they educate students for professional practice within a shorter time. CBE ensures that students achieve the set nursing competencies; on the other hand, Benner’s model offers clinical skill knowledge advancement and situational understanding. Combined, these ways facilitate the student evolution from the most elementary learner level to a qualified performer who can provide efficient patient-centered care that produces quantifiable outcomes and prepares students for practice within a wide range of settings in healthcare facilities.

Course Development and Influencing Factors

This assessment will center on implementing a new course, Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices, into Duke University’s ABSN curriculum. The course focuses on the ethical challenges encountered during the decision-making process in the current nursing practice. This analysis presents a rationale for the course, a suggested topical outline, and a discussion of how the roles and responsibilities of the faculty members are divided during the course development. This paper explores internal and external influences affecting curriculum development. Furthermore, the assessment determines the impact of the institution’s mission, philosophy, and framework, which are integrated with the internal and external stakeholders.

Course Description and Placement 

Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices should be offered in Duke University’s ABSN program. The literature explains that ethics education prepares healthcare professionals and students to recognize and resolve ethically difficult workplace situations (Andersson et al., 2022). This course provides nursing students with the knowledge and skills to solve complex ethical problems in healthcare. It involves critical thinking and evidence-based approaches to addressing ethical dilemmas and fosters interprofessional relationships.

This course would be most appropriate in the program’s last semester and augment current leadership and advanced practice courses. By placing it at the end, the students will have already developed clinical skills, pathophysiology, and pharmacology that will allow the application of ethical principles in the clinical setting. Further, it will link them to professional practice and remind them of the significance of moral decision-making in clinical and managerial capacities. The course is relevant to Duke’s mission of increasing health equity and social justice and appropriately challenges students to promote ethical practices in various contexts (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.). The course prepares future nurse leaders to impact policy and enhance quality and patient-centered care by confronting ethical issues in advanced nursing practice.

Rationale for Including this Course in the Curriculum

Incorporation of Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices should be included in the ABSN program at Duke University since the course prepares nursing students for challenges facing the healthcare industry in the current society. It is crucial for these reasons:

1. Addressing Emerging Ethical Challenges and Moral Distress: The changes in health care, including genomics, artificial intelligence, and scarce resources, challenge nurses to analyze and make sound decisions. Studies show that ethics training provides nurses with basic tools for problem-solving and personal stress management. Moral education can also increase self-esteem, reduce fear, and improve nurses’ ability to handle pro-ethical decision-making situations (Tavakol et al., 2023).
2. Aligning with Professional Standards: Ethics is a competency major health organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA) mentioned. The ANA’s Code of Ethics emphasizes nurses’ responsibility to navigate ethical conflicts with competence and compassion (American Nurses Association, n.d.). Offering an upper-level ethics course helps meet these standards while educating students to become effective patient advocates to promote social justice, moral duty, and ethical practices.

By incorporating this course, Duke’s ABSN program will complement its mission of preparing leaders in the nursing profession with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to promote health through excellence in education, clinical practice, and social justice.  

Topical Outline and Relationship with Existing Courses

The subject areas discussed in the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices course map (Appendix II) sit well with several classes in the Duke ABSN curriculum, hence establishing a good ground for ethical decision-making in different clinical and leadership roles. For example, Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family and Nursing Care of Infants, Children, and Adolescents have topics that might include informed consent, autonomy, and the ethical analysis of family-centered care, all discussed in the ethics course. Likewise, Nursing Management of Adult Patients and Nursing Care of Patients with Complex Health Problems entails nurses balancing ethical issues like end-of-life decisions, treatment options, and patient care planning, which will enhance the moral principles of the proposed course.

The Gerontological Nursing course relates to aging and decision-making capacity, where ethics is central to decision-making on the care plans for elderly patients in line with the ethical frameworks expounded. The Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I and II courses also address the aspect of moral decision-making in clinical practice, especially when dealing with medication and treatments for those categories of patients. Furthermore, the leadership-focused courses Professional Nursing: Two articles that will benefit from the ethical principles covered are Evolution as an Effective Team Member and Professional Nursing: Evolution as a Leader since leadership and teamwork are founded on ethics in patient care and collaboration. This course will empower students with ethical skills to practice and lead in these complicated clinical and leadership environments. 

Faculty Collaboration

When deciding on a new course offering, the new course’s candidacy shall pass through several stakeholders before its introduction into the curriculum since it complies with academic and clinical faculties. The participants should be selected from the clinical nursing faculty, nursing leadership, philosophy, medical ethics, and pathophysiology. Students’ clinical preceptors and nurse leaders will be engaged to determine their experience of ethical issues within patient care, leadership, and teamwork that will enhance the subjects taught in the course. Furthermore, the faculty would work with the curriculum committee to reflect on where the course fits within the rest of the curriculum and how it would raise the learning bar and meet accreditation requirements (Hoare et al., 2024).

Engagement with the institution’s ethics department is necessary to guarantee that the course is based on modern ethical theories and practices. Further, faculty need to engage with regulatory agencies, for example, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), to guarantee that the course complies with the nursing education and ethical requirements across the United States (Lewis et al., 2022). Such collaborations aim to develop an academically sound and clinically focused course that will equip students with a sound understanding of ethics related to nursing practice, leadership, and teamwork in different healthcare organizations.

Internal Factors Affecting Curriculum Design

Getting nursing curricula designed involves key internal factors such as organizational processes, curriculum committees, and internal review bodies. Organizational processes like decision-making processes and resource distribution processes also influence new courses. For example, the Duke University School of Nursing administration would determine priorities from the institution’s goals, such as improving ethical practice and leadership within the nursing discipline. Course committees are essential in considering the fit of new courses into the curriculum (Hoare et al., 2024). These committees are useful in ensuring that any proposed new course, such as Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices, is still relevant to another course in the program and achieves its maximal learning intents.

Teachers, department chairs, and deans work together to review what is taught, how it is taught, and the pace of the courses to avoid overlap and to integrate the curriculum. University committees, academic councils, or faculty review committees to ensure that proposed new courses meet educational standards and accreditation. For example, at Duke, such committees would determine whether the course content met the CCNE or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) standards. These processes assist in checking and ensuring that the curriculum meets all the requirements of a current and quality curriculum in nursing education.

External Factors Impacting Curriculum Design

Funding, stakeholders, and other regulatory and accrediting bodies thus exert a major influence over the curriculum as they determine the resources available, the direction to be followed, and acceptable norms and standards. Since funding determines the availability of resources to implement new courses, it impacts course development. For example, obtaining financing can define the extent to which one can attract and recruit faculty, implement technologies for education, or create unique learning environments. Funds from other healthcare institutions, foundations, or grants from the government can also inform curriculum focus, for example, new trends in healthcare, such as ethics in the practice of advanced nursing or the use of new technologies. Community members or a community of practice, consisting of healthcare facilities, registered nurses, prospective employers, and nursing associations, contribute to determining the knowledge and skills required in practice.

This way, the curriculum adopted by the institution is relevant to the hospitals, clinics, and professional bodies that practice modern clinical practice. For instance, hospital affiliation ensures that students get practical experience through internships endorsed by the course’s ethical and leadership frameworks. Governmental and other bodies such as the CCNE and AACN establish important requirements for curricula. These agencies help the program keep up with the academic and national standards for nursing education (Lewis et al., 2022). For instance, to get accreditation from certain approving bodies, ethical considerations and leadership might be included to prepare students to face challenges they are likely to meet in practice. They determine what should be taught, how it should be taught, and how students should be assessed.

Mission, Philosophy, and Framework 

This paper demonstrates how a nursing program’s mission, philosophy, and framework and its parent institution influence the design of the curriculum by linking educational objectives with institutional values, priorities, and goals. The mission of Duke University’s School of Nursing focuses on promoting health equity and social justice and sustaining forward-thinking excellence in education, practice, and research (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.). This mission directs the curriculum to be culturally sensitive, promote ethical leadership, and incorporate evidence-based practice to prepare students to address patient’s needs and advocate for health disparities populations.

For instance, offering an Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices course demonstrates the institution’s attainment of its goal of awarding highly ethical nurse leaders ready to deal with the moral issues arising in health care systems. The philosophy of the program at Duke is to give life to the concept of a progressive and research-based nursing education. This philosophy fosters the incorporation of the findings and novel technologies in the syllabuses so that students acquire modern knowledge to address current healthcare issues (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.).

This philosophy is reflected in the proposed course due to the focus on critical thinking and clinical reasoning in ethical decision-making in patient care. The program’s framework also determines how courses are structured to foster leadership, professionalism, and patient-centeredness. For instance, incorporating ethical theories in clinical and leadership-based classes correlates with the school’s mission of positioning nursing as the leader in healthcare change.

Collaboration among Internal and External Stakeholders 

Efficient and quality curriculum development involves the faculty, administrators, committees, and other units within the institution and those externally touching on the health field, such as healthcare facilities and regulatory and professional bodies. This collaboration guarantees that the curriculum meets academic requirements as well as the healthcare needs of society. Course content, structure, and delivery are a product of the internal stakeholders, which include faculty members and department heads. They have experience teaching nursing and clinical experience. Curriculum committees evaluate the extent to which new courses conform to the curriculum learning outcomes and program objectives.

The healthcare system comprises external stakeholders like hospitals and clinics to ensure that the curriculum offered by the institutions fits the healthcare system. Their input contributes to the fact that skills and competencies captured in the training mirror the field clinical environments. Professional nursing organizations such as the CCNE and the AACN set course outcomes, content, assessment, and clinical practicum site requirements that the curriculum must meet (Lewis et al., 2022). The ANA and NLN offer information on current trends and standards in nursing that will help update the curriculum as needed. A lack of synergy between these groups can result in curriculum disparity, student unemployment, lack of accreditation, and noncompliance with set regulations. This can lead to poor education outputs, reduced labor market prospects of graduates, and attainability of accreditation loss, which all negatively impact the program’s reputation.

Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum evaluation is important in enhancing the quality and applicability of nursing education programs. This assessment evaluates the Duke University ABSN program and the newly created course Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice. The evaluation highlights the need for constant enhancement to cater to student, faculty, and healthcare dynamics. These are the identification of evaluation measures, the knowledge about pilot testing, and considering evidence-based nursing concepts for improving curriculum. The assessment also identifies how the program meets accreditation standards based on the Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) standards. This comprehensive analysis supports the development of a curriculum that fosters ethical, competent, and patient-centered nursing practice.

Need for Continuous Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum assessment ensures that nursing courses remain current, efficient, and highly quality for learners. It guarantees that the nursing programs offered will meet the advancements in the health delivery system and produce competent graduates in nursing practice. The need to evaluate Duke University’s ABSN program and  Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course is as follows: 

1. Adaptation to Evolving Healthcare Needs: The healthcare environment is dynamic due to technological changes, patient demographics, and new diseases. Nursing education is continually evolving to meet the challenges of this ever-changing environment (Al-Omari et al., 2024). As such, the curriculum must be constantly assessed to incorporate the most effective strategies and prepare learners for contemporary healthcare situations. 
2. Ensuring Student Competency: Nursing students must gain the competencies to deliver safe, effective, patient-centered care. Curriculum assessment determines where the educational process lacks competency and modifies the course content to rectify these clinical and theoretical deficiencies.
3. Maintaining Accreditation Standards: Accreditation bodies require curriculum checks at regular intervals to ensure conformance to set standards (Nunn-Ellison et al., 2023). These continuous evaluations help maintain the integrity of nursing programs and support graduate licensure and employment.
4. Supporting Faculty Development: Assessing curriculum impact offers feedback to faculty as they attempt to improve their knowledge delivery to learners. This creates professional development among educators and a positive transformation of the learning environment for learners.
5. Meeting Stakeholder Expectations: Nursing programs, students, employers, and healthcare organizations expect competent and ethical nursing professionals. Therefore, nursing programs should develop these competencies. Curriculum evaluation guarantees compliance with workforce demands, promotes the institution, and improves graduate marketability.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

Failure to assess a curriculum regularly has several adverse effects on students, the faculty, and healthcare organizations. The danger of failing to continue the assessment is that nursing programs become static, and graduates lack the skills needed to practice in today’s healthcare sector. For example, suppose a curriculum lacks features that include emerging technologies. In that case, the students will lack practical use of these tools in actual patient support, thereby degrading the quality of health care delivery. Another concern is an increase in the level of disparity with accreditation standards. According to Nunn-Ellison et al. (2023), nursing programs must meet these standards to ensure the quality of education, maintain public trust, and prepare students to provide safe, competent, and evidence-based care in diverse healthcare settings.

A program that does not change is in danger of losing its accreditation; this will harm the institution’s reputation and keep graduates from becoming licensed. Finally, a lack of appropriate curriculum evaluation may lead to inadequately fulfilled educational outcomes. These outcomes include graduation rates, licensure examination success rates, graduates’ employment rates, and satisfaction levels (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2023). This has implications for labor and distorts the image of the program. Moreover, there are difficulties for healthcare organizations that hire these graduates; for example, improperly trained nurses may enhance patient safety threats and healthcare expenses. 

Criteria for Curriculum Evaluation 

Though curriculum evaluation is crucial to determine the nursing programs’ relevance, quality, and compliance with professional standards, evaluating the curricula on these criteria is also necessary. These criteria help in the process by assessing if the curriculum fulfills the needs of the students, the employers of the healthcare sector, and the accreditation bodies. Such standards assist in determining the areas of strength and weakness and in the process of program modification according to the new tendencies in the industry. These criteria are important in providing a quality curriculum that prepares competent nurses for a complex healthcare system.

Alignment with Accreditation Standards

The evaluation of curriculum must always aim to show compliance with standards set by the accrediting bodies such as the CCNE or the ACEN. Meeting these standards ensures that the program aligns with the national quality content standards and that students will be ready for licensure and practice (Nunn-Ellison et al., 2023). This is imperative to maintain institutional credibility and prepare a pool of prospective students to take higher clinical positions. Noncompliance with these standards may result in loss of accreditation, students’ inability to sit for licensure examinations, and the institution’s reputation will be affected.

Relevance to Healthcare Needs

The healthcare industry is a dynamic environment that constantly advances technology, research and development, and diseases (Al-Omari et al., 2024). Thus, the curriculum must be evaluated on its relevance to changing healthcare needs, ensuring graduates are prepared for the complexities of modern nursing. For example, adding technological courses demonstrates that digital health solutions are becoming more prevalent. Given the curricula, the prepared professionals can tackle the challenges in the health sector, which will affect patients and healthcare delivery systems.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

The curriculum must follow the clear and measurable SLOs to fulfill the educational goals and objectives. Assessment must consider the extent to which students gain critical thinking, clinical judgment, and professional competencies. SLOs should be reviewed periodically to keep in touch with the industry standards and to recognize deficiencies. When outcomes are not achieved, it is a message for curriculum changes to enhance the student’s learning outcomes.

Stakeholder Feedback

Students’ feedback, as well as the feedback from the faculty, alums, and employers, is important for curriculum assessment. This feedback makes it easy for the program to be reviewed with strengths and areas of weakness, which makes it effective and relevant. For instance, surveys of employers can reveal weaknesses in graduates’ clinical preparedness, which can lead to modifications in clinical training. Failure to consider stakeholders’ views threatens to maintain suboptimal conditions and deteriorate program outcomes.

Graduate Success Metrics

Evaluation should include pass rates in licensure examinations, employment rates, and graduates’ satisfaction. These metrics indicate the program’s performance in preparing students for professional practice (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2023). Such metrics give insight into trends and allow for correction if shortcomings exist. They also serve as a reference for explaining performance to accreditation bodies. Low outcomes indicate a need to improve the curriculum to increase graduates’ abilities and chances of employment.

Pilot Testing and Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum piloting is trying out the planned curriculum for a limited number of students or classes to determine its suitability for large-scale use. This pilot testing enables the curriculum developers to identify which part of the curriculum is effective. It should, therefore, be retained, and which part needs to be modified or completely removed (Kobiah, 2021). They include choosing a sample of students, applying the curriculum or course under experimental conditions, and getting feedback through evaluation tests, questionnaires, and interviews. The pilot test guarantees that some problems may occur and gives important information to edit the curriculum to meet educational and professional requirements.

The pilot test is important because it reduces the impact of a large-scale implementation of a new course or changes to a curriculum. It enables developers to compare the optimal strategies for attaining goals, measure the efficiency of learning materials, and define the skill level of the implementers needed for successful implementation. It also assists in defining possible obstacles to implementation and how to address them before taking the new curriculum materials to schools (Kobiah, 2021). Furthermore, it ensures that the instruction is appropriate, learning is feasible, and students consider the course interesting. It also builds confidence among stakeholders because evidence of adequate testing shows that innovations in the curriculum are valid and of high quality.

In the context of the ABSN curriculum and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices course at Duke University, pilot testing can be used with a limited group of students. This trial enables faculty to evaluate the content, the delivery method, and the course’s potential effects before offering it as part of the curriculum. The pilot group of students selected to participate in the program would use the course materials, attend case-based discussions, and take assessments to determine their level of ethical reasoning in their practice as nurses.

During the pilot, faculty can observe how effectively the course aligns with the ABSN program’s learning outcomes and complements existing courses like “Professional Nursing: These areas are “Evolution as a Leader” and “Community and Public Health Nursing.” Students and faculty could also provide feedback to highlight the strengths of a resource selection, such as content interest or its relevance, and discuss problems, such as lack of resources or unclear guidelines.

Real-world Example

One pilot testing success story is described in a study by Kovach et al. (2022), where a managed care organization sought to transform clinicians into value-based care. The organization created online courses that educated learners about value-based care concepts and strategies and a pilot to improve course material before its release. First, 50 subjects who met the courses’ target population criteria were selected. It also guaranteed that the feedback was appropriate and captured the range of the target learner population. In the next step, participants interacted with the online courses, which may include slides, videos, and quizzes.

They finished the course in a realistic environment so the researchers could see how the curriculum content fulfills the educational goals (Kovach et al., 2022). Thirdly, feedback was obtained from an online survey that included close-ended and open-ended questions. The close-ended questions yielded statistical data, while the open-ended question enabled participants to expand on their plight and offer recommendations. Frequency counts were applied to the closed-ended questions to compare the results and note the common issues. Thematic analysis was conducted on the free-text responses where similar feedback was clustered, and issues were classified as requiring immediate revision or not for revision (Kovach et al., 2022).

The pilot test brought several problems, such as incorrect or misleading information detected in 24% of the responses and other issues like spelling mistakes and poor slides. These insights were then used to determine what areas needed to be revised. From the pilot, the organization changed the course’s content and structure to make it correct and functional. The pilot test was more of a diagnostic test, which was critical in providing a refined product at the end of the study (Kovach et al., 2022). Pilot testing is an important aspect of curriculum development, and this example shows the importance of testing in filling gaps. Through encouraging participant feedback, the organization enhanced the quality of the course in terms of the relevance and effectiveness of the course to be provided to the target participants.

Short-term and Long-term Evaluations for Process Improvement

Short-term curriculum assessments are more concerned with short-term feedback and results, which include evaluation of how particular lessons the faculty or the students comprehend during or at the end of a course. For example, the results of the end-of-the-course questionnaires or quizzes can tell how much of the content students have understood. These results could be useful for the faculty to modify their approaches or the materials taught in their class immediately. These assessments help solve emergent concerns, preserve instruction quality, and attain short-term learning goals (Ullah et al., 2024).

They are crucial in evaluating the initial outcome of a curriculum as implemented in class. They indicate the extent to which students understand the content being taught, the teaching methods used, and the course material so that the teaching faculty can correct any misunderstandings as they occur. Courses can be easily adapted using quizzes, surveys, and course reflections for educators. These assessments guarantee that students are equipped with the required information and abilities and support the general accomplishment of the course while not fortifying improper information or inadequate practices.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

In contrast, long-term evaluations assess the curriculum results on positive development from a longer time perspective. For example, aggregative outcomes such as a profile of graduates’ performance in licensure examinations, graduates’ performance in their initial employment in nursing positions, and graduated satisfaction (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2023) indicate the curriculum’s success in preparing students for practice. Such evaluations assist in identifying the extent to which a program or department needs core transformation in terms of incorporating new technologies or attending to workforce issues.

They are very important for the process of curriculum modernization and its compliance with the existing demands. The long-term assessments are crucial for defining the effectiveness of a curriculum for students and their further professional activity. Culled from alums, employers, and market research surveys, these assessments ensure that the curriculum responds to future healthcare demands. Such an assessment enables making timely changes that will ensure high academic performance and compliance with accreditation standards to promote improvement in the delivery of nursing education (Stalmeijer et al., 2022).

Process of Short-term Evaluation

When it comes to short-term evaluations, start with the choice of the focus points, which can be student mastery, teaching efficiency, and the material. Evaluation may include tests, polls, and feedback questionnaires, which teachers use throughout the course to identify weak points and students’ levels of understanding (Murphy et al., 2023). A multifaceted approach can be used for short-term evaluation of the ABSN curriculum and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course.

First, surveys and quizzes should be administered to students at the midpoint and end of the course to measure comprehension, engagement, and satisfaction with the course content and delivery. These surveys should include quantitative questions (e.g., Likert-scale ratings) and qualitative feedback (e.g., open-ended questions) to assess the clarity of the material and effectiveness of teaching methods (Kovach et al., 2022). Faculty should also observe students’ active participation in discussions and case studies related to ethical dilemmas, providing immediate feedback and adjustments as necessary.

At the end of a unit or a module, the instructors may organize group discussions where students discuss their learning process, and the instructors may assess the problems that students face. Moreover, students can fill out end-of-course questionnaires that reveal the positive and negative aspects of the course. This way, the curriculum is being adjusted constantly, and inaccuracies or irrelevant content are removed while the effectiveness of instructions increases. Finally, regular faculty meetings can be held to review feedback and identify any course content or delivery issues. This process will allow for swift adjustments, ensuring students receive a high-quality, relevant education that meets their learning needs.

Process of Long-term Evaluation

Long-term assessment is the evaluation of the effects of the curriculum on a student’s career and its impact on the healthcare system after graduation. The process starts with establishing long-term objectives, which include graduate employment ratios, licensure examination passing rate, and career advancement (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2023). Strategic approaches that can be used to evaluate the ABSN curriculum and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course include the following.

First, postgraduate questionnaires should be conducted 6-12 months after graduation to identify how helpful the ethics course was for ethical decision-making in clinical scenarios. Measuring the program graduates in terms of licensure pass rates, career mobility, and moral maturity in the nursing profession can contribute significant information to the efficacy of the course content. The employers’ opinions about the ethical decision-making skills of the graduates can also be used as another sign of the sustained success of this curriculum.

Another form of long-term evaluation is a periodic assessment of trends in healthcare ethics so that the curriculum responds adequately to new ethical issues in nursing practice. Continuing education evaluation and integration of the course material according to the changes in the industry and the latest research in the field of nursing ethics will help to keep the material up to date (Tavakol et al., 2023). The participation of accrediting bodies and the constant review of program goals and objectives will also help to get more information on the overall efficiency and significance of the ethics course in the future and improve it according to the identified professional standards.

Evidence-Based Nursing Concepts, Nursing Theories, and Best Practices

Evidence-Based Nursing Concepts 

Research-based nursing concepts are important in enhancing the curriculum for the ABSN program and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course. This means that knowledge, techniques in teaching practice, content, and learning strategies on the part of the student are based on the synthesis of research evidence. Integrating evidence-based concepts into the nursing curriculum enhances the quality of education, fosters a successful nursing environment, and ensures the delivery of safe patient care (Du et al., 2023). One key evidence-based nursing concept is patient-centered care.

In the ABSN program, patient-centered care principles should be integrated into courses to develop nursing students’ skills to assess and prioritize the needs, preferences, and values of patients. Incorporating scenarios where students must make decisions based on patient preferences and cultural considerations helps them develop skills in delivering compassionate, individualized care. This aligns with the evidence that patient-centered care improves patient outcomes and satisfaction.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

Another important concept is collaboration and teamwork. In the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course, students can be taught the importance of cooperation between healthcare providers when making complex ethical decisions. Evidence shows that interprofessional collaboration improves patient safety and outcomes by combining the expertise of various professionals (Kaiser et al., 2022).

The course can include case studies where students work in teams, alongside other healthcare disciplines, to navigate ethical dilemmas, fostering communication, shared decision-making, and a holistic approach to patient care. Using real-world examples and case-based learning, students can practice these skills in controlled, supportive environments, enhancing their critical thinking ability when confronted with clinical challenges. Integrating evidence-based nursing concepts into the curriculum improves nursing education and ensures that graduates have the skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality, evidence-based patient care.

Nursing Theories

Nursing theories offer a conceptual basis for curriculum development in the ABSN program and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course. Including theories in nursing, educators can map out coursework that would foster critical thinking, sharpen clinical decision-making skills, and provide patient care centered and grounded on the patients. These theories assist in structuring how content is delivered, how students interact with the program, and the assessment strategies with a view of keeping the program anchored on practice while at the same time producing competent, caring nurse leaders.

To deliver the content of the ABSN curriculum, appropriate nursing theories, such as Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, can enhance patient relationships while providing care. This theory describes the necessity of building caring connections between nurses and patients (Bagheri et al., 2023). It can be included in the curricula concerning clinical practicum and interpersonal communication. Watson’s ideas can be employed by instructors to incorporate in assignments and learning activities that would help students appreciate the role of empathy, presence, and support as aspects of nursing care. For instance, students ought to be challenged to develop care plans involving medical treatment and the patient’s psychological and emotional state.

The Self-Care Deficit Theory of Dorothea Orem can be used in the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course. Per this well-known theory, nursing interventions aim to increase patients’ ability to perform self-care. According to this theory, all nursing interventions must enhance the patient’s capacity to perform self-care, thus enhancing efforts to support life, health, and well-being (Hellqvist, 2021).

Concerning Orem’s theory, students can be motivated to think about a patient’s self-care deficit and the nurse’s role in addressing this need. Topics taught in the course may involve case scenarios in which students use Orem’s theory to analyze and address ethical dilemmas, such as euthanasia or the right to refuse treatment, which are typical in graduate nursing practice. Thus, when the curriculum is developed incorporating nursing theory, educators guarantee that students are learning technical know-how and, at the same time, building the thinking to handle the open-ended and evolving nature of modern health practice.

Best Practices 

Best practices in curriculum development are essential for ensuring that the ABSN program and the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course meet the highest standards of quality, relevance, and effectiveness. Evidence-based best practices promote student engagement, enhance learning outcomes, and ensure the program aligns with current healthcare needs and professional standards. For instance, in the development of the ABSN curriculum, evidence supporting active learning strategies, such as case-based learning, simulation, and interactive discussions, can be incorporated to promote critical thinking and clinical decision-making.

Research has demonstrated that active learning strategies enhance critical thinking, improve clinical reasoning, and facilitate the application of theoretical knowledge to practice among nursing students (Kalu et al., 2023). Additionally, blended learning (a mix of face-to-face and online instruction) can be used to optimize the delivery of the curriculum, particularly for complex subjects like nursing ethics, where diverse teaching methods can cater to different learning styles.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

Specifically, the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course can mean fostering practices based on the curriculum’s current ethical theories and frameworks, which are grounded in empirical and expert evidence. Studies on nursing ethics focus on helping nurses understand how to deal with multiple moral issues in practice (Tavakol et al., 2023). This could be done using, for example, actual case studies, role play, and simulations, with research evidence indicating that their use enhances students’ capabilities in ethical problem-solving. In addition, the current course assessment involving research-based tools like tests guarantees constant enhancement of the course and teaching methods (Murphy et al., 2023).

This ensures that the curriculum and courses meet the current and most developmental course outlines of nursing education and training. Moreover, the best practices include incorporating interprofessional education (IPE). By including case studies that require collaboration with students from other healthcare disciplines, nursing students can gain a holistic understanding of ethical issues in a team-based context. For instance, a case on a complex moral dilemma, such as dealing with a patient’s refusal of life-saving treatment, can be explored through group discussions involving students from various healthcare backgrounds.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

This approach enhances communication skills, broadens perspectives, and emphasizes the importance of teamwork in ethical decision-making (Kaiser et al., 2022). Another best practice is ongoing curriculum evaluation and feedback loops, ensuring the content remains relevant and responsive to evolving healthcare trends and student needs. Regular feedback from students, clinical preceptors, and faculty can inform updates to course content, ensuring the curriculum is current and aligns with the latest research and clinical guidelines. By implementing these best practices, the ABSN program and Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice course can better prepare students for the challenges they will face as nurse leaders in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Accreditation Body and its Evaluation Criteria

For the ABSN program, ACEN is the appropriate accreditation body. It accredits nursing education programs, including associate, baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral degree, and post-baccalaureate nursing certificate programs (Nunn-Ellison et al., 2023). ACEN ensures that nursing programs meet high education standards, preparing students to deliver safe, competent, and compassionate care. ACEN accreditation is based on specific criteria assessing nursing programs’ quality and effectiveness. These criteria include:

1. Mission and Administrative Capacity: The program’s mission must align with the overall goals of the parent institution. The program should have sufficient administrative capacity and leadership to meet the needs of its students and maintain a quality educational environment.
2. Student Learning and Outcomes: This criterion evaluates whether the program’s objectives are achieved and how well students perform relative to those objectives. Key outcomes such as NCLEX-RN pass, graduation, and employment rates are assessed.
3. Curriculum and Teaching-Learning Practices: It evaluates how well the curriculum aligns with current standards in nursing practice, integrates evidence-based practice, and incorporates effective teaching methods. It also assesses how the curriculum prepares students for professional training, including developing critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and ethical decision-making.
4. Resources: The program must have adequate resources, including qualified faculty, sufficient clinical placements, and technology, to support student learning and clinical experiences.
5. Evaluation and Assessment: ACEN requires that nursing programs have a comprehensive system for assessing the effectiveness of their curriculum and its impact on student learning. This includes using data to inform decision-making and continuous program improvement.
6. Faculty: Faculty qualifications and professional development are crucial in ensuring quality education. ACEN evaluates whether the faculty has the credentials, experience, and commitment to teaching and learning in nursing.

NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation

Once ACEN evaluates the ABSN curriculum, the results will provide valuable feedback that can be used to strengthen and improve the program. The evaluation results should be analyzed to identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement. For example, if the NCLEX-RN pass rate is below expectations, faculty can reassess their teaching methods or course content to better prepare students for the exam. Evidence-based changes to the curriculum, such as incorporating new clinical simulation technologies or revising coursework in clinical reasoning, could be implemented (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2023). Moreover, this evaluation may reveal that the curriculum needs to be better aligned with the evolving needs of healthcare.

If the feedback highlights the need for more emphasis on emerging healthcare issues, the program can incorporate new content to address these topics. ACEN accreditation standards emphasize faculty qualifications and development (Nunn-Ellison et al., 2023). Suppose the evaluation shows faculty members need more professional development opportunities, particularly in using new technologies or clinical teaching strategies. In that case, these needs can be addressed through targeted training programs. Finally, the evaluation results can inform strategies to enhance student support services. Suppose the evaluation highlights low graduation rates or issues with student engagement. In that case, the program can introduce additional resources such as tutoring, mentoring, or wellness services to support students throughout their nursing education journey.

Thus, ACEN accreditation is critical in ensuring that nursing programs like the ABSN program meet the highest educational standards. The evaluation criteria provide a framework for continuously improving the program to meet the needs of students, faculty, and the healthcare system. By applying the evaluation results effectively, the program can maintain accreditation, enhance the quality of education, and better prepare students for successful careers in nursing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, developing, evaluating, and accrediting an ABSN program requires careful attention to several critical factors. This assessment has explored the importance of ongoing curriculum evaluation, emphasizing how both short-term and long-term assessments contribute to continuous improvement and alignment with nursing standards. The role of pilot testing in curriculum development was highlighted, demonstrating its ability to identify issues before full-scale implementation. Additionally, using concepts, theories, and best practices in curriculum formulation puts into practice the best that nursing knowledge offers, with students yielding professional practice. 

The involvement of internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, accreditation bodies, and clinical partners, is vital for the success of curriculum development. Furthermore, the appropriate accreditation bodies, such as ACEN, provide standards for program quality and continuous improvement. The results of the accreditation evaluation should be used to refine and enhance the curriculum, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of the healthcare system. By integrating these elements, nursing programs like the ABSN can maintain high educational standards and contribute to the professional development of future nurses. This holistic approach ultimately ensures that nursing education remains dynamic, effective, and responsive to the ever-changing demands of healthcare.

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Appendices

Table 1

Course Descriptions 

Course Name	Course Description
Health Assessment and Foundations for Nursing Practice Across the Lifespan	Provides foundational skills in health assessment and introduces nursing practice principles for individuals across all age groups.
Wellness/Health Promotion Across the Lifespan	It focuses on strategies for promoting health and wellness throughout various stages of life, with an emphasis on preventative care.
Professional Nursing: Past, Present & Future	Explores the evolution of nursing as a profession, including historical perspectives, current trends, and future challenges.
Physiologic Homeostasis and Principles of Pharmacology	Introduces key human physiology and pharmacology concepts, focusing on maintaining homeostasis and safe medication administration.
Professional Nursing: Evolution as an Evidence-Based Clinician	Enhances skills in evidence-based practice, teaching students how to integrate research into clinical decision-making.
Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family	Examines care strategies for women and families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Nursing Care of Infants, Children and Adolescents	Focuses on the unique healthcare needs of pediatric patients and their families, emphasizing growth, development, and safety.
Community and Public Health Nursing	Introduces public health concepts, community assessment, and population-based nursing care to address health disparities.
Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I	Provides in-depth knowledge of disease processes and pharmacologic interventions for managing common health problems.
Professional Nursing: Evolution as an Effective Team Member	Develops skills for interprofessional collaboration, effective communication, and teamwork in healthcare settings.
Nursing Management of the Adult Patients with Health Problems	Covers nursing care for adult patients with acute or chronic health conditions, focusing on management and recovery.
Gerontological Nursing: Caring for Older Adults and their Families	It addresses the complexities of aging and provides strategies for promoting health and well-being in older adults and their families.
Pathophysiology and Pharmacology II	Continues exploring advanced pathophysiology and pharmacologic treatment strategies for complex health conditions.
Professional Nursing: Evolution as a Leader	Prepares students for leadership roles in nursing, emphasizing advocacy, ethical decision-making, and policy development.
Nursing Care of Patients with Complex Health Problems	It focuses on the comprehensive care of patients with multifaceted health issues who require critical thinking and advanced skills.
Electives	Allows students to choose from specialized topics in nursing, such as global health, health informatics, or advanced clinical skills.

Appendix II: Topical Outline of the Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practices course

Introduction to Ethical Theories and Principles  

• Overview of deontological, consequentialist, and virtue ethics  
• Key ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice  

Moral Decision-Making in Nursing

• Ethical decision-making models
• Critical thinking in ethical dilemmas 

Ethics of End-of-Life Care

• Advanced directives, euthanasia, and palliative care
• Decision-making in terminal illness

Genomics and Ethical Considerations

• Genetic testing, privacy concerns, and informed consent  
• Ethical implications of personalized medicine  

Nurses as Advocates: Social Justice and Health Equity

• Nurses’ roles in addressing healthcare disparities and advocating for vulnerable populations

Ethical Issues in Technology and Nursing  

• Artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and data privacy in nursing practice  

Case Studies and Real-world Ethical Dilemmas  

• Application of ethical theories in clinical practice