To Educate Future Nurses, College of Nursing Revamps the Learning Experience
How competency-based education and problem-based learning are transforming nursing education
Health care is constantly evolving, and the University of Utah College of Nursing (CON) is staying ahead of the curve.
Four years ago, the CON set out to transform its curriculum across the Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and PhD programs. The change process, which includes a first-of-its-kind shift in the PhD program, ensures that graduates are fully prepared for evidence-based, patient-centered practice. Thanks to a hardworking team of curriculum leaders and faculty, the shift is well underway.
Julie Gee, PhD, RN, the CON’s associate dean of academic affairs, helped steer the ship while collaborating closely with assistant deans and faculty from each program. Melody Krahulec, DNP, RN, assistant dean for the BS program, took the lead in transforming the undergraduate curriculum after the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) published The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education in 2021.
A New Framework for Nurse Education
The new AACN framework defines the competencies required to prepare nursing students for the realities of modern practice. It emphasizes domains like person- centered care, professionalism, population health, informatics and health care technologies, and interprofessional partnerships as key areas for success in the nursing workforce and improving patient outcomes.
“With the curriculum transformation, we knew that each program couldn’t work alone. Our approach to competency integration needed to be scaffolded across programs to enhance student outcomes,” Gee says. “Faculty have worked very hard as a team
to ensure positive outcomes. Nursing is a unique discipline, and intentionally integrating competency-based education further emphasizes our essential contributions to health care.”
The education CON students receive has always been top-notch, with many programs nationally ranked. The new curricular shift takes teaching and learning to the next level. The traditional learning model, which emphasized classroom lectures, has shifted toward assessment, feedback, and self-reflection, allowing students to demonstrate in new ways the knowledge, attitudes, and skills expected of them.
“The most significant benefit of transforming our curricula to align with AACN framework is that it better prepares nurses for the complexities of modern health care by focusing on real-world competence that goes beyond content mastery,” explains Cynthia Beynon, PhD, RN, assistant dean for the DNP and MS programs. “By shifting toward concept-based education, students practice critical thinking as they apply broad principles across diverse clinical situations. This practice fosters understanding and adaptability.”
The new model isn’t a checklist or isolated learning but a cohesive curriculum. Each concept and competency is revisited by students across the curriculum and the three programs. Students are constantly applying what they learn to new situations. If a student doesn’t meet a required competency, they’ll go back to an earlier stage in the curriculum until they master it.
“It is not a one-and-done approach or learning that is demonstrated by one or two objective tests,” Gee says. “This approach to education is student-centered, and it makes students responsible for their learning.”
Today’s education has a particular focus on working with and learning about vulnerable and underserved populations, which is key as the University of Utah Health system expands to serve more people across Utah. Faculty emphasize cultural humility and sensitivity, so new nurses can connect with individuals and meet patients where they are.
“We do not want our students to assume they know or understand a patient’s background or perspective when providing care,” Gee says. “I’m proud that our graduates have a great deal of compassion and good understanding of asking the right questions to know how to care for individuals and communities.”
PhD Program first in the US To Adopt Problem-Based Learning
As three CON programs transitioned to competency-based instruction, the PhD program made a significant change as well. It’s the only nursing PhD program in the nation to adopt problem- based learning. Just as researchers make hypotheses and gather data on open-ended problems, our students work together in small groups to investigate real-world problems and explore potential solutions. Meanwhile, our faculty work as facilitators, working alongside students to provide information and resources, then guide discussions and help students reflect on the new knowledge they’ve acquired.
“First, students identify what they need to know about the problem, then they move on to solving it,” Gee says. “It’s new, it’s student-centered, and it’s collaborative. There’s a lot of group work involved. There’s no single solution for any problem, so we want students to think creatively and critically.”
Nursing research is essential for generating new nursing knowledge to improve health outcomes and influence policy. CON PhD graduates can work in academia or industry, conducting research, solving real-world problems, and changing policy. Thanks to the transformation of the PhD program curriculum, CON students will have a rock-solid foundation to meet and overcome obstacles while generating innovative solutions as they enter their research careers.
An Ongoing Rollout of Program Changes
The CON will continue to implement new curricula over the next 18 months. Beynon emphasizes their focus on building a sustainable, student-centered educational model to meet the evolving needs of health care. This includes expanding online and hybrid course offerings, which allows the nursing college to reach a broader, more diverse population of nursing professionals.
“This has been an arduous journey, and a journey that continues for the next several months as courses are being revised and developed,” Gee says. “It is also a new teaching approach for most faculty, yet everyone has actively and willingly participated. Our focus is on student preparation and outcomes—providing students with a strong foundation to build upon. Competency-based education makes this possible.”
Learn More About Our Programs
Discover how our nationally ranked BS, MS, DNP, and PhD programs equip graduates to lead, innovate, and improve health outcomes. Visit nursing.utah.edu/programs to learn more.