Showing posts with label Western Governors University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Governors University. Show all posts

Monday, August 28, 2023

Tips for Succeeding in WGU’s Self-Paced RN-to-BSN Program

 

Most messages that I receive from individuals are a registered nurses who want to advance their career and education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and ask me a number of questions about WGU’s BSN. If you’re one of them, this post is for you. It is a cheat sheet specially created for my valuable readers like you.

Introduction

WGU is a nonprofit, accredited university that offers competency-based education, which means you can progress through courses at your own pace by demonstrating what you know and can do. You can also transfer up to 90 credits from your previous nursing education and experience, which can save you time and money. WGU’s RN-to-BSN program is evidence-based and aligned with the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice from the American Association of Colleges and Nursing (AACN). It covers topics such as research, theory, leadership, community health, healthcare policy, therapeutic interventions, and current trends in healthcare.

However, as with any online program, WGU’s self-paced RN-to-BSN program also requires motivation and time management skills to succeed. You will need to create your own schedule, set your own goals, and manage your own learning. You will also need to complete 65 hours of field work in a community setting as part of the program requirements. To help you navigate this challenging but rewarding journey, I have compiled some tips based on what I learned from the transcript of a successful WGU RN-to-BSN graduate. Here they are:

 

TIP 1: Create a schedule and stick to it

Treat each week like a regular course, blocking out set times to read, study, and work on assignments. Use a planner or calendar to keep track of deadlines and milestones. Try to be consistent with your study routine and avoid distractions.

 

TIP 2: Take it one course at a time

Focus on mastering one class before moving on so you don’t get overwhelmed juggling multiple demanding courses. Review the course materials carefully and use the learning resources provided by WGU. Take advantage of the pre-assessments and practice tests to gauge your readiness for the final assessments.

 

TIP 3: Do the easy classes first

Start with quicker courses like Nutrition or Health Assessment to build momentum before tackling tougher ones like Biochemistry or Evidence-Based Practice. This will help you boost your confidence and motivation as you see yourself progressing through the program.

 

TIP 4: Give yourself paper writing time

Set aside blocks for researching, writing, and revising papers. Break projects down into manageable chunks. Follow the rubrics and instructions carefully and use the writing center for feedback and support. Use credible sources and cite them properly using APA format.

 

TIP 5: Use course mentors

These are invaluable! Meet with them regularly for guidance as you would with on-campus professors. They can help you clarify concepts, answer questions, provide tips, and offer encouragement. They can also connect you with other students who are taking the same course or have completed it.

 

TIP 6: Find a study buddy

Connect online with a classmate for motivation and support. You may even be able to help each other with assignments or share notes. You can also join online forums or social media groups where you can interact with other WGU RN-to-BSN students and alumni.

 

TIP 7: Take good notes

Stay organized with study guides, lecture notes, flashcards, etc. You’ll need to compile and understand a lot of information from various sources. Use different methods to review and reinforce your learning, such as summarizing, outlining, highlighting, quizzing, etc.

 

TIP 8: Plan ahead for field work

Get an early start on scheduling your 65 hours of community health experience. Find a suitable site that meets WGU’s criteria and secure a preceptor who has a BSN degree or higher. Complete the required paperwork and submit it to WGU for approval. Prepare for your field work by reviewing the objectives and expectations of the course.


TIP 9: Reward yourself for milestones

Celebrate finishing assessments and papers. Keep motivated towards the end goal of becoming an RN-BSN! Recognize your achievements and treat yourself to something you enjoy, such as a movie night, a spa day, or a dinner out.

The key is staying regimented, getting support when needed, and dividing projects into smaller steps. Plan ahead, break things down, and don’t be afraid to lean on your mentors.

With commitment and smart time management, you can leverage the flexibility of WGU’s self-paced model to efficiently achieve your BSN. You’ve got this!


Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Breaking Down WGU's RN-to-BSN Coursework

 


In this post, I'll walk through the key courses you'll take in WGU's RN-to-BSN program. Knowing what's involved can help you determine if it aligns with your goals.

WGU organizes the program into three main buckets:

General Education

The program is divided into three main buckets: General Education, Nursing Support Courses, and the Nursing Major.

The General Education courses include English Composition, Interprofessional Communication, Psychology, Sociology, Humanities, and Statistics. Most ADN grads already have these credits from prerequisites and can transfer them in. You likely just need to fill any remaining gen ed gaps.

The Nursing Support Courses build on your ADN foundation and include Biochemistry and Applied Healthcare Statistics. Biochemistry focuses on protein synthesis, enzymes, lipids, and is challenging but clinically relevant material. Applied Healthcare Statistics covers analyzing and interpreting medical research.

The Nursing Major is the core of the RN-to-BSN curriculum and includes Health Assessment, Community Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Leadership and Quality Improvement, and Community Health. Health Assessment involves writing papers and doing hands-on demonstrations of your assessment skills. Community Health requires 65 hours of field experience assessing community resources and culminates in a paper. Evidence-Based Practice involves evaluating research and proposing a change supported by evidence. Leadership and Quality Improvement requires writing papers on implementing organizational changes to improve care. Community Health requires 65 hours of field experience assessing community resources and culminates in a paper. There are also courses on ethics, leadership, and professional nursing roles. You’ll need to be comfortable writing academically and conducting community fieldwork.

Most ADN grads already have these credits from prerequisites and can transfer them in:

  • English Composition
  • Interprofessional Communication
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Humanities
  • Statistics

You likely just need to fill any remaining gen ed gaps.

Nursing Support Courses

Here you’ll find upper-level sciences and concepts to build on your ADN foundation:

  • Biochemistry - Focuses on protein synthesis, enzymes, lipids. Challenging but clinically relevant material.
  • Applied Healthcare Statistics - Covers analyzing and interpreting medical research.

The Nursing Major

This is the core of the RN-to-BSN curriculum:

  • Health Assessment - Write papers and do hands-on demonstrations of your assessment skills.
  • Community Health - 65 hours of field experience assessing community resources. Culminates in a paper.
  • Evidence-Based Practice - Evaluate research and propose a change supported by evidence.
  • Leadership and Quality Improvement - Write papers on implementing organizational changes to improve care.
  • Community Health - 65 hours of field experience assessing community resources. Culminates in a paper.

There are also courses on ethics, leadership, and professional nursing roles. You’ll need to be comfortable writing academically and conducting community field work.

Hopefully breaking down the coursework gives you a sense of what to expect from WGU's RN-to-BSN program. Make sure to consider if the self-paced, writing-heavy curriculum aligns with your learning preferences and career goals.

 Benefits

WGU's RN-to-BSN program is a self-paced, writing-heavy curriculum that allows you to earn your degree on your own schedule. You move through courses as quickly as you can master the material, with no set class times so you can continue to work as an RN while you're earning your degree. The program is also affordable and unique, making it a top option for RN-to-BSN students. Graduates are prepared to function in new roles as members of healthcare teams in many settings. BSN graduates are also prepared to enter MSN programs.

 Challenges

While the self-paced nature of the program is a benefit, it can also be a challenge. The program requires goal setting, dedication, and the ability to manage your time effectively. Additionally, the program is writing-heavy, so you'll need to be comfortable writing academically and conducting community fieldwork. Some students have reported difficulty managing work, school, and family responsibilities. However, WGU's RN-to-BSN online programs give you the flexibility to complete coursework on your schedule.

 Conclusion

WGU's RN-to-BSN degree program is an evidence-based, self-paced, and affordable program designed for registered nurses who want to advance their careers and expand their knowledge in the nursing field. The program is divided into three main buckets: General Education, Nursing Support Courses, and the Nursing Major. While the program requires goal setting, dedication, and the ability to manage your time effectively, it provides the flexibility to complete coursework on your schedule. Graduates are prepared to function in new roles as members of healthcare teams in many settings and are also prepared to enter MSN programs.

 

Friday, August 18, 2023

Why WGU's RN-to-BSN Program is the Perfect Fit for Busy Nurses


Hello! In this blog post, I will talk about why Western Governors University's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect fit for busy nurses. As a busy nurse myself, I understand the challenges of balancing work, family, and education. However, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is designed to fit into your busy schedule and help you achieve your career goals.

Flexible Schedule

One of the biggest advantages of WGU's RN-to-BSN program is its flexibility. The program is entirely online, which means you can complete your coursework from anywhere and at any time. This is especially beneficial for busy nurses who work long hours and have family responsibilities. You can study at your own pace and complete your assignments when it's convenient for you. This flexibility allows you to balance your work, family, and education without sacrificing any of them.

Competency-Based Education

Another unique feature of WGU's RN-to-BSN program is its competency-based education model. This means that you can progress through the program at your own pace, based on your existing knowledge and skills. You don't have to sit through lectures or complete assignments on topics you already know. Instead, you can focus on the areas where you need to improve and move quickly through the material you already know. This allows you to save time and money while earning your degree.

Affordability

WGU's RN-to-BSN program is also affordable, with tuition charged at a low flat rate each term. The more courses you complete each term, the more affordable your degree becomes. This is in contrast to other schools that charge per course or per credit, which can make your degree more expensive. Additionally, WGU's tuition rates are 48% lower than the national average for bachelor's degrees, making it an affordable option for busy nurses who want to advance their careers.

Clinical Requirements

WGU's RN-to-BSN program also has clinical requirements, which allow you to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare setting. However, these clinical requirements are flexible and can be completed at a location that is convenient for you. You can work with your employer to complete your clinical requirements, which means you don't have to take time off from work to complete them. This flexibility allows you to gain the experience you need to advance your career while still maintaining your work and family responsibilities.

Supportive Community

Finally, WGU's RN-to-BSN program has a supportive community of faculty, staff, and students who are dedicated to your success. You can connect with other students through online forums and social media groups, which allows you to share your experiences and learn from others. Additionally, WGU has a team of mentors who are available to answer your questions and provide support throughout your program. This supportive community can help you stay motivated and on track to achieve your career goals. In conclusion, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect fit for busy nurses who want to advance their careers. With its flexible schedule, competency-based education, affordability, clinical requirements, and supportive community, WGU's RN-to-BSN program can help you achieve your career goals without sacrificing your work or family responsibilities. If you're a busy nurse who wants to take the next step in your career, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect choice for you.


Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Transitioning to a BSN: Is Western Governors University the Right Program for You? Expert Advice!

Transitioning to a BSN: Is WGU the Right Program for You?


In this blog post, I will provide an in-depth overview of Western Governors University's RN-to-BSN program and discuss key factors to help you determine if it's a good fit for your needs as a nursing student.

Many nurses start out with an ADN or a diploma and work for a while before deciding to complete their BSN. Going back to school can be daunting, especially if you have to juggle work and family responsibilities. An online RN-to-BSN program seems tempting, but how do you know if WGU is right for you?

 

First, let's go over some key details about WGU's program:

o   It's fully accredited by the CCNE and accepted by graduate schools if you want to pursue higher nursing degrees later.

o   It uses a competency-based education model. You advance by showing mastery of concepts, not by grades or time spent in class.

o   It's self-paced. You can complete your BSN in one term (six months) by accelerating, or spread the courses out over multiple terms up to 3.5 years if needed.

o   There are no required textbooks or additional access fees. All learning materials are provided online.

o   Tuition is around $5,000-$6,000 per six-month term. Scholarships are available.

This self-directed model is ideal if you're highly motivated, disciplined, and comfortable with online learning. However, WGU has some key differences from a traditional RN-to-BSN program:

 

o   You need strong technology skills for navigating the online student portal and learning platforms. Comfort with email, word processing, research databases, etc. is essential.

o   There are no letter grades, just pass/fail assessments. You can't earn a 4.0 GPA. "Pass" is akin to a B grade.

o   You must be proactive in reaching out for help from course mentors when needed. Support is there but not built-in like a classroom.

o   Writing papers and completing projects replace traditional nursing exams and clinicals. Expect to write in APA format.

As you can see, WGU offers exceptional flexibility and affordability, but requires independence, self-motivation, time management skills, and academic writing skills to thrive. Before jumping in, make sure you:

o   Have solid computer, internet research, and word processing abilities

 o   Can write longer academic papers in proper APA format

 o   Are okay without letter grades and focused on knowledge mastery over GPAs

 o   Will ask for help when needed since the courses are self-directed

 o   Are able to manage your time well and stay on pace to finish courses/terms

 

Additionally, WGU has a unique course structure:

 If this competency-based model fits your learning style, motivation, and schedule, WGU could help you achieve your BSN efficiently and affordably. You get to leverage your nursing experience while gaining new leadership, research, and community health skills.

 However, if you prefer more structure, letter grades, professor interactions, and built-in deadlines, a traditional RN-to-BSN program may suit you better. Think carefully about your needs and learning preferences as you decide if WGU is the right path for you. Reach out to current students and alumni to get insider perspectives. By considering both the benefits and challenges, you can determine if WGU's unique approach is a good fit.

If you need my assistance completing any assignments at the BSN program, do not hesitate to reach me at: meokhan2/at/gmail(dot)com. I am the expert!

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Sentinel City Simulation: Community Health & Population-Focused Nursing - KLP 1


Sentinel City Simulation is a very recent development. It is an immersive computer environment that enables students to practice various tasks on community health nursing – previously done on the ground causing to students a lot of stress and practical constraints.




The latest Sentinel City program (3.0), developed by American Sentinel University, has been well-received and has won APEX Grand Award, WCET Outstanding Work Award, and stood finalist for 2 SIIA CODiE Awards.

That said, a lot of nursing schools are now adopting this program since it makes learning much easier for students (desktop-based) and carries handy tools for assessment.

What about the first Community Health Nursing Paper, KLP 1?

Well, it is tricky because not much help is available online and the new interface poses considerable challenge to students who have already completed a few credit hours based on the traditional method. Second, as the program is well-designed, it ensures the students are really taking something out of it.

Keeping this scenario in view, I have written this post hoping that, like my other posts, it will help you lessen some of the study stress.

So, first, what do the Instructions for this paper require of you to do: The Instructions are divided into three broad areas:

  1. The three umbrella competencies: 7019.1.1 (Epidemiology); 7019.1.5 (Env. Health); and 7019.1.8 (Cultural Com).
  2. Surveying 12 specific city locations and to send a completed PDF action report (ensuring that you’ve spent time on the program).
  3. Using different data tools: 
  • Demographic assessment (reading the data for age, median income, percentage of the people with/without insurance, etc.)
  • Neighborhood/community safety inventory (what safety mechanisms are in place? Are there any environmental issues, such as air pollution?)
  • Windshield survey (WS) (Moving around seeing the infrastructure, homeless people, population density, etc.)
  • Population health scavenger hunt (Consulting with data from school, university, the ABC clinic, the grocery store, etc.)


With this homework done, most of the work is similar to the traditional Community health Task previously covered in this blog.

However, what is troubling in this paper is that nothing is written or given in an analytic fashion. The student must plough through the four districts of the Sentinel City and connect other community resources (the 12 locations) by making sense and synthesizing relevant data to find out:
  1. What 3 major community health problems the Sentinel City faces
  2. What community resources are available to address ONE of the three problems
  3.  The primary health topic you’d like to work on in the future paper (of the 3)
I am going to try to help you in this domain and hope that you’d find interpreting the City data convenient for your paper.


Analyzing the four districts of the Sentinel City
Please keep in mind that this section is written in a way that covers all the four tools required to be used. It is because it accumulates findings from these tools: Windshield survey is done by every student already and by surveying the city locations, you're making use of other tools (the demographics, environment, and scavenger hunt, etc.).

So, let’s start our data analysis. Demographics about the four districts (Acer Tech Center, Casper Park, Industrial Heights, and Nightingale Square) tell quite a few (and obvious) things about the populations in these districts.

Acer Tech Center has a total of 168390, white-dominant (70.2%) population, moderately higher income, $166,300, with much larger population above 18 and below 65 years of age, and with just a marginal proportion of the population (1.5%) without insurance.

Casper Park presents a very different picture: population, 352643, 24% Hispanics or Latinos, 10.9% citizens are children, 33.8% under 18. What about the uninsured under 65: a huge 22.7%.

Synthesis of the data
Now, let’s synthesize data for these two districts. Let’s take help from literature. So, literature has well-documented that income level, ethnicity, (among many other variables) and community health are related. Higher income levels are associated with cleaner neighborhoods, betterinsurance coverage, fewer children per family, etc.

Along these line, we can see that most of the uninsured (if not all) are most probably also the ones without jobs, and so maybe do not have a home to live in. So, the neighborhood they live in has low quality of life, junk food (cheap), lack of health care access.

Literature also informs us that lack of access to health care, combined with these factors, in the US, is associated with oral health problems, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, diabetes, obesity, and so on.

This way you get a very good individual picture of each of the four districts, and your WS survey would speak about the cleanliness of the neighborhood, number of people/children outside, etc. This way, describe each districts individually.

With this exhaustive account, you can move on to analyze other locations. For example, let’s take the data from the Better Health Clinic. Rates for STDs, pregnancies, and abortions are much higher (compared to global data matrices), and the Clinic provides services in these areas. Then why is there little progress?

Because in the community people are not being educated about lifestyle, safety, etc.



Adding from other locations
Similarly, Joe’s Grocery is to be hailed (hail Caesar) for being reported for so many infections caused. Here we are so sure that the authorities are not working as they should (another aspect missing for our community nursing).

Lily’s Restaurant serves unhealthy food. It must be cheap, right? Who consumes cheap food in US? You’re right? Then there is a very high calorie consumption percentage that people are using at home. What about the parks? Crime rates are higher, and the public space is occupied by the homeless population.

So, let’s sum it up. Jobless people, uninsured, children, and adolescents consume cheap food, lack access to health care. They don’t have much
to recreate to cope with their everyday stressors. Poorer neighborhoods are also congested with pollution and noise.

This tells us that at least 2 Districts present a very alarming condition; taking help from literature, we’re sure that many health issues (here you can add references from Healthy People 2020) such as obesity, diabetes, mental health problems, STDs, oral health, women-child health, (Day Care Center data) must be haunting our Sentinel City.

I hope I have tried to help you in the right direction. Once you pick up in this way, I am sure you can get over the entire paper very well.

Should you need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach me. I won’t bite! Yikes! Email me at: meokhan2/at/gmail/dot/com


Monday, December 28, 2015

WGU: BSN "Professional Roles and Values" - a Walkthrough


EDIT: Revision from the Mighty WGU has been pushed out! Red alert!!! :-p
There may be more than one versions of this paper now. However, don't press the panic button as yet. There is this Mr. Newcomb's scenario that NOW separately discusses the four nursing ethics principles. So the paper breaks into 2. There are other additional sections added to the other part of the paper. The length has increased. BUT.... it's essentially the same. Relax...Calm down!

This task, unlike Community Health Nursing and Evidence-Based Practice, is not that tedious though still requires a bit of careful thinking and writing. The basic purpose of this paper is to inculcate in the nurse an understanding of the professional roles and values s/he is to follow in the workplace.

In this post, once again, I am going to walk you through all the steps as clearly and precisely as possible. Before we begin, please take note that this task also carries quite a few useful resources that can be of great help to you to understand the main idea. Have a look at my previous post, PYT1: Leadership Experience, to find out more on how the complementary resources for this task can be helpful to write a good paper.

Like all the papers, the Instructions and the Rubric are the most invaluable resources for this paper as well, and you need to religiously follow the two resources for a good end-product. However, once you understand the instructions (that you will, after carefully going through the document), I would suggest keeping ONLY the Rubric open on your computer screen to avoid any unnecessary distractions that the two documents, Instructions and Rubric, together can cause. We're playing simple.

Now, let's begin talking some serious business: Professional Roles and Values paper. I will directly discuss the prompts given on the Rubric to help you the most without any confusion.

A. Functional Differences
This prompt, the first on the list, asks you to demonstrate your clear understanding of "the functional differences between a regulatory agency, such as a BRN, and a PNO as it pertains to the candidate’s professional nursing practice" (Rubric).

Precisely, then, a BRN strives to ensure that certain standards are followed statewide for regulatory excellence for public health. You can visit the NCSBN website for a thorough understanding.

Likewise, a professional nursing organization such as American Nurses Association (ANA) provides support, assistance, and motivation to professional nurses to network and collaborate with other nurses to grow professionally. It also has a focus on policy, practice, and politics in the interest of professional nurses. Check its Statement of Purpose.

You can quote these two resources and dedicate on paragraph to each. You also might want to add a book or journal reference to make it even juicier.

B. Nursing Code Examples
This can be tricky, but it's easy. It asks you to exhibit your understanding of at least "2 examples of how provisions from a nursing code of ethics influence [your] practice" (Rubric).

Simply, visit this page Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements (ANA) and choose 2 of the given provisions that closely relate to your nursing style and aptitude. For a logical discussion, simply quote 1 or 2 references from available research.

So, let's say that you've picked up Provision 1: Respect for Inherent Dignity and Provision 3: To Protect the Health of people. Quote these provisions verbatim following APA and then extend the discussion by making references to 1 or 2 reliable sources and adding your viewpoint in between.

C. Professional Traits
It asks you to discuss at length the "4 professional traits from the ANA Code of Ethics" that you "will bring to an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals" (Rubric).

Very similar to the above, here you need to discuss these provisions according to your nursing style and aptitude, i.e. how you would follow these provisions in the workplace. Once again, quote the provisions and provide a few references while you push in your perspective.

D. Nursing Theory
This is plain simple. Just recall a nursing theory that has influenced you from your reading or training. Provide details about the individual and link the theory to your professional practice. For instance, say you have been influenced by Watson's theory of care, just discuss precisely its major tenets and relate it to the present-day health care context. Pick a theory from Nursing Theory.

D1. Theory in Professional Practice
Now, discuss the same theory in relation to its impact on your duties and roles as a professional nurse. So, for example, you can say that Watson attaches a good deal of importance to interpersonal processes of providing health care. Hence, I have always found that good interpersonal communication with patients helps me to understand their issues well and to provide them with better health care.

E. Contributions
This prompt asks you to critically discuss "how the contributions of 1 historical nursing figure have impacted" your "professional nursing practice" (Rubric).

Simply pick an individual who has influenced you and relate his or her influence to your professional practice. For instance, if you've been influenced by Watson, say how you apply his influence to your workplace, i.e. I always follow Watson and have greatly improved my interpersonal communication skills, etc.

F. Scenario
Phew! The last prompt! It asks you to discuss your professional practice in the light of the principles of health care given in the Instructions file, i.e. (1) Beneficence, (2) Nonmaleficence, (3) Respect for autonomy, and (4) Justice.

So, say, you've chosen (3) and (4). You can relate these to your specific context saying that you listened to patient Mr. ABC carefully and decreased his dosage of xyz medication (after consulting the physician) - meeting Principle (3). For (4), you might state that patient ABC was left unattended for a few hours as some road accident casualties got the attention of the entire team on the floor. However, you kept moving back and forth to check patient ABC because it was necessary that he receive care too. Thus, though you had to put a lot of effort to attend to both situations, you were satisfied that you did justice with patient ABC by providing as much care as your humanly skills and competencies could have allowed you.

Done!


PS: Remember that this task is 8-10 pages long (for a better grade). Each of the prompts requires you to cite references from professional organizations' webpages, stats, books, and journals.

I hope you found the post helpful. Should you need any assistance, please feel free to drop me an email at meokhan2/at/gmail/dot/com.


Happy Nursing!


Friday, April 3, 2015

Western Governors University - BS Nursing



Western Governors University's (WGU) BS Nursing program is a highly credible and well-recognized academic degree in the U.S. and outside it.

There are quite a few strengths of the program making it a highly credible pick by the certified nurses who want to move on to the next level: B.S. Nursing.

The standard completion time for this online course is 18 months in which the candidate has to cover quite a few time-bound tasks, projects, and activities that add up to their passing score. You can find all the details of this program here.

The purpose of this post is NOT to promote the WGU's BS Nursing program. No way! I write this post only to let you know that, EXCEPT FOR HARD/NATURAL SCIENCES TASKS, I can provide assistance in all the tasks for this program since this is my job to help out students in their time of difficulty while pursuing an academic goal in the middle of their professional and home-based responsibilities.

So, I would give you a brief overview about some of the major tasks required to complete in this program.

The degree is divided in quite a few sections/subdomains of health care and nursing, and each section covers subjects from basic calculus to literature, from evidence-based practice to community health nursing, etc. Major breakdown of the program falls into the following subdomains.

1. Professional development
2. Quality and safety
3. Evidence-based practice
4. Applied leadership
5. Community and population health

Under each of these subject areas, there are quite a few tasks and activities that involve fieldwork, research, collaboration, synthesis, and writing. The overall focus of the degree program, thus, is to develop in the nurse the professional skills and competencies that can help them play an active role at different levels in the health care sector.

If we look at the academic subdomain, Evidence-based practice, there are quite a few writing tasks that help the professional to nurture hardcore skills to play with evidence-based nursing. Evidence-based nursing has now become part of professional nursing, and so, the nurse has to consult available evidence with regards to a health care concern/issue needed for careful decision making.

WGU's EBP is particularly known for developing advanced-level skills for EBP in their students. The reason is that the subdomain enables the nurse to differentiate between different types of literature available in the current health care knowledgebase: 
  • Primary research
  • Secondary research
  • Evidence guidelines
  • Evidence summary
  • Meta-analysis
  • Synthesis of different types of evidence
and so on. Moreover, EBP also requires the nurse to carry out tasks that are field-based, i.e., the professional has to connect the literature search, review, and synthesis to the health care context they are either employed at or has knowledge of.

The end-result of covering the EBP is that the candidate gets away with a bundle of cutting-edge skills in EBP.

Community and Population Health Nursing is the most challenging yet exciting subdomain of BSN at WGU. Challenging because the professional has to carry out very rigorous activities by being part of a community (usually the ones they live in), and by applying the principles of community health nursing in that community to bring about a positive change.


C228 - Community Health Nursing – Task 1

For example, one of the tasks in this domain is Application of Community Health & Population-Focused Nursing, a lengthy write-up around 20 pages. Activities in the task involve applying quite a few tools to identify a community and understand the major health concerns the community faces. This is a field project. There are six mandatory tools needed of the researching nurse (You) to apply to his/her selected context and discuss the application in the main document. These are:

1. Population Economic Status Survey
2. Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory
3. Cultural Assessment Tool
4. Disaster Assessment and Planning Guide
5. Windshield Survey
6. Population Health Scavenger Hunt. 

There are quite a lot of documents, guides, and links that accompany this task. The details required to carry out each of these six tools are clearly given in these accompanying resources. However, putting them all together in this task requires advance writing and synthesis skills. To make things easy for you, I discuss each of these six tools below giving you the insider's view, i.e., the approach by which you can have your task passed.

1. Population Economic Status Survey
PESS tool is actually a comprehensive approach taken by the nurse while working in the community to objectively understand the major health concerns faced by the community. The rationale for this tool, provided by the WGU, is that it helps the nurse to understand a health concern and argue her position in order to address the issue in favor of her community.

To cut short, the nurse has to dig deeper into major databases at the state and federal levels, i.e., American Fact Finer, City-Data.Com, Census.Gov, Healthy People 2020, etc. Alongside, she has to visit the local community centers such as the City Council, Health Department, non-profit organizations, and so on.

At the end of this exercise of information gathering, the nurse is able to understand the economic drivers at play in regards to the community's overall health status (the poor vs. the rich).

2. Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory
NCSI is another tool to be applied in the community. It helps the nurse to understand the systemic level factors when it comes to her community's health status. This tool is to be filled up by observing and collecting data from community resources such as fire, police, emergency departments, disaster management to clearly understand the safety-related dynamics and to develop her inventory. Thus, you will have to visit the relevant departments to carry out this task which should involve formal/informal interviews and focus groups with the relevant staff; in addition, searching relevant databases over the Internet is part of the game here.

3. Cultural Assessment Tool
CAT clearly points us to the direction of understanding the racial/ethnic, gender, age-wise makeup of the community to help the nurse to better understand the dynamics of the present health concerns as spread over these domains. Understanding the role of culture is fundamental in community health nursing because it is well established in literature that different ethnic/cultural groups view epidemiology and treatment of a disease differently. For instance, a Hmong community member might possibly explain her epilepsy as a spirit taking her over.

This tool also requires you to search for data. However, it has a subjective element that requires you to meet different people and talk to them, interview them, and understand their viewpoint in relation to a health concern and its treatment. These two areas of investigation combine together to add another dimension to your community health nursing fieldwork.

4. Disaster Assessment and Planning Guide
DA&PG, as the title suggests, is about understanding the many resources your community utilizes to combat a disaster, natural or otherwise. This takes you to survey the community's geography to find out its industry, terrain, etc. and to plan for a possible route to prevent a disaster from hitting the community. DA&PG also asks you to take note of such factors as weather patterns, cultural outlook, contagious diseases, the spread of a disease, etc. It also puts you to trace the local government's position on these variables. As soon as you start to cover the areas given in the tool, the picture of disaster assessment and any loopholes start to emerge for you to argue in favor of your community's health.

5. Windshield Survey
WS tool should have come in the beginning of this list because it is used (and expected by WGU to be used) in the beginning of your community health fieldwork. As the name suggests, this tool is to get the feel of the community through the bird's eye view. WGU's guide to WS states, "While driving through your community, stop for coffee or have lunch in a neighborhood".

Hence, your focus is to bear a holistic understanding of your community's overall feel and look that includes its housing, commercial buildings, open spaces, etc.

6. Population Health Scavenger Hunt. 
PHSH tool follows the footprints of the famous scavenger hunt game. However, in this task, it requires the nurse to choose six facilities from the long list given in the supplementary resource. So, logically, what you're doing here is a scavenger hunt for the community's health by going to these facilities and collecting information. But the approach is rigorous and systematic.

For example, you chose American Red Cross. Now, the hunt requires you to answer the 13 questions given in the same guide from "What is the organization's target population?" down to "What specific services does the organization provide?". At the end, thus, your knowledge of the community is immaculate and you become an expert nurse on that community! Wow, hats off to the WGU's curriculum planners, honestly!

This should be very clear from the tools mentioned that the task is highly beneficial for nurturing community health nursing skills and competencies.

The task discussed above is followed by Community Health & Population-Focused Nursing Practicum. This task is also quite long, around 25 pages, and requires applying the knowledge of the community's health profile (as obtained in the previous task) to address ONE specific health concern (e.g. obesity, cancer, influenza, etc.). For this, the candidate, once again, jumps on to the field and works with a number of community-based stakeholders to come up with a viable health care plan to address that health concern by taking into account the epidemiology and the prevention factors of the health concern.
The fieldwork requires a lot of activities from collecting reliable statistics to critiquing available resources and any loopholes. With these areas covered, the nurse then DEVELOPS effective and EFFICACIOUS interventions. The required number is two.

These interventions are well-planned. You will have to demonstrate every aspect of these interventions, i.e. how you would carry out these interventions, their estimated impact factor, and the objective evaluations of the outcome.

So this practicum is really killing in terms of the skills, deeper level understanding of community health nursing, and the relevant competencies you gain while doing it.

With this brief overview of the WGU's BSN, I would suggest that you should go ahead and get your hands dirty with the explosive knowledge and skills that the program has to offer. However, if you need any assistance anywhere in the program, coming to me will not be a bad idea.

Good luck! My email: meokhan2/at/gmail/dot/com