Open educational resource case studies: responding to nursing student educational needs in the moment

• Published in: Teaching and learning in nursing Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 275 - 278
• Main Authors: Metersky, Kateryna, Haghiri-Vijeh, Roya, Balakumaran, Jasmine, Muhunthan, Mathumesa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Case study; Innovation; Nursing education; Open educational resource; Theory-to-Practice; Case study; Nursing education; Innovation; Theory-to-Practice; Open educational resource
• ISSN: 1557-3087; 1557-2013
• DOI: 10.1016/j.teln.2024.04.011

•OERs are valuable in higher education, but less utilized in nursing.•Case study modifications outlined to respond to student need in the moment.•Strategies on how to bridge the theory to practice gap outlined. The purpose of this paper is to share the pedagogical innovation of using open educational resource (OER) inclusive case studies in the classroom to respond to immediate student learning needs and augment the theory-to-practice gap that exists in undergraduate education. Students were introduced to case studies as an OER as a weekly activity. The initial case studies were rooted in educators’ real-life experiences and nursing practice. As courses evolved, if there was an emerging trend in healthcare or a component of a concept, model, or theory that students were challenged with, subsequent case studies were edited to suit learning needs. When used intentionally, case studies can be responsive to student needs in the moment as OERs can facilitate a smoother transition of theory into practice. This collaborative initiative can inspire other educators and institutions to bridge the theory-to-practice gap, improving the quality of care for patients, using a similar approach.