Nursing schools use traditional teaching styles to develop critical thinking.
Schools of nursing aim to provide quality, individual or group instruction to aspiring nurses. Each health-care instructor has an individual approach to teaching, often based on her experience in nursing school or on an approach she finds particularly demanding, such as "hands-on" demonstrations. Although nursing programs are popping up online as of 2011, traditional teaching styles in schools of nursing still exist and are preferred by some over high-tech approaches.
Classroom Teaching
In a classroom teaching style, a nursing instructor educates nursing students face-to-face. This teaching style is similar to the way an instructor would teach another subject, such as math or science. The teacher administers tests, asks students to present research reports and keep notebooks.
Clinical Simulation
Traditional methods of clinical simulation include a hands-on experience. After watching and learning from an instructors, students use a mannequin model and a 12-lead ECG machine to perform procedures, such as a resuscitation. The instructor might evaluate how the class works as a whole or test individual student accomplishments and failures.
Demonstration Approach
For a demonstration teaching style, training usually takes place in groups of 12 to 20 students, depending on the size of the program. An instructor gives a demonstration on a procedure, for example a birth, and asks students to take notes on her expert approach. Demonstrations in traditional styles are rarely "hands on" for students. Rather, students learn from watching the instructor; in later courses, or in an exam period, a student might have to perform on a mannequin patient.
Theoretical Learning
Some nursing program instructors gear courses toward developing expertise in a particular area, such as medical-surgical nursing or women's health. Teachers can opt to focus on teaching theories of the particular area and their applications in a real-life hospital. These theories might include honing leadership skills, or the importance or creating and applying of research to nursing practices.
Hybrid Traditional Style
According to Bowie State University's traditional nursing track, the faculty uses various educational technologies to enhance a traditional teaching approach. For instance, an instructor might start by writing formulas on a chalkboard or assigning tests, but complement the work with a Web-enhanced format. For instance, if a student cannot attend class one week, he can participate from home online.
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