The NTS Learning Center is a web application that leverages technology to refine a learner’s experience on orientation. It also provides opportunities for advanced data analysis to monitor progress and identify opportunities to assist a learner in becoming an independent registered nurse in their care area. This helps the educator hone their efforts in the areas where there is the biggest need.
At a time when there is higher-than-average turnover for bedside registered nurses, there is enormous pressure to get nurses prepared to work independently. Especially in a cost-conscious environment, high turnover may lead to challenges for an educator to convince leaders to invest in orientation improvements. Hastening the turnover issues as inadequately prepared nurses are much more likely to leave as they feel overwhelmed by the environment and expectations.
A traditional checklist and a prescribed number of weeks of orientation may not adequately prepare a learner’s clinical judgment skills for successful independent practice. Measuring progress helps identify each learner’s strengths and weaknesses in their journey to develop Clinical Judgement skills. The components of this system include data management of Learners and Preceptors, Evaluations of Orientation Shifts, Curriculum, and Outcomes. There is also a Leadership portal allowing Leaders to gain insights into Orientation and utilize the evidence to make informed decisions.
Data Management
This system allows for easy organization of all the data associated with orientation. It assists the Educator to demonstrate Return on Investment for the span of a colleague’s career.
Curriculum
The Curriculum section allows the educator to document the recurring series of learning events, forming a schedule of events and a transcript of completed events. Key elements of the curriculum such as the topics, course outcome, objectives, and description of learning are documented.
Knowledge Checks allow for the classic testing of knowledge acquisition but is flexible enough to adjunct a course utilizing technology to conduct a poll or play a game. All of the data can be exported and further analyzed or researched.
Preceptor Development
Becoming a preceptor is not just about teaching clinical skills but also nurturing the essential qualities of effective leadership and communication. The ability to convey information, foster collaboration, and manage conflict are crucial skills that preceptors develop. These skills are transferable to other roles, such as the triage nurse and charge nurse roles, which require effective team coordination and patient care prioritization.
The Educator can monitor the preceptor’s performance with Daily Preceptor Evaluations. They can nurture the preceptor’s practice with the Preceptor Assessment and Preceptor Comments functions. Collaborate with the preceptor to ensure Learner success by utilizing the communication functions.
Evaluations
Moving completion of evaluation from an infrequent process to a daily process shifts focus from identifying deficits to monitoring progress and re-focusing goals to ensure a learner can practice independently following their orientation. This is no different than a nurse monitoring vital signs and responding to changes in condition.
The system features 5 types of evaluations: Daily Learner, Daily Preceptor, Provider, Formal Learner, and Formal Preceptor. These measure the Learner’s development of clinical judgment skills and their interactions with providers and their preceptors. The daily evaluations are designed to work well on a mobile device and reminders can automatically be sent at the end of each shift as an e-mail or text reminder.
Transcript
All the learning that has occurred on the unit, in a classroom, simulation center, etc. is tracked and automatically assembled into a transcript for both the Learner and the Preceptor. Required documentation of the Orientation can also be verified and accessed via the Transcript. A preceptor can also be formally assessed, made aware of the strengths, express their challenges, realize opportunities, and create action plans for further development.
Outcomes
The Outcome section allows the educator to review individual performance compared to a standard of care or the larger department’s performance. Leveraging the curriculum to overlay when learning occurred vs. the outcome. It potentially shows how the learning event is returning on its investment or where a new method or resources are needed to make the desired impact.
Leadership Portal
Leaders have a more concise view of the progress learners are making. There are tools to help leaders know when to anticipate a learner will be integrated into operations. Leaders also have access to Dashboards that will help them support educators’ efforts seeing the ROI or opportunities for improvement.