Dedicated education unit: An innovative clinical partner education model

• Published in: Nursing outlook Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 31 - 37
• Main Authors: Moscato, Susan Randles, Miller, Judith, Logsdon, Karen, Weinberg, Stephen, Chorpenning, Lori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 2007; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Clinical Competence; Cooperative Behavior; Diffusion of Innovation; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate - organization & administration; Educational theory; Faculty, Nursing - organization & administration; Focus Groups; Health Facility Environment; Health Services Needs and Demand; Hospital Units - organization & administration; Humans; Interinstitutional Relations; Interprofessional Relations; Models, Educational; Nurse Administrators - organization & administration; Nurse Administrators - psychology; Nurse's Role; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing administration; Nursing Education Research; Nursing Methodology Research; Nursing Staff, Hospital - organization & administration; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Oregon; Pilot Projects; Program Development; Program Evaluation; Social Support; Students, Nursing - psychology; Oregon
• ISSN: 0029-6554; 1528-3968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2006.11.001

This article describes the implementation and evaluation of the Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) as an innovative model of clinical nursing education. A partnership of nurse executives, staff nurses and faculty transformed patient care units into environments of support for nursing students and staff nurses while continuing the critical work of providing quality care to acutely ill adults. Various methods were used to obtain formative data during the implementation of this model in which staff nurses assumed the role of nursing instructors. Results showed high student and nurse satisfaction and a marked increase in clinical capacity that allowed for increased enrollment. This article reports on a 3-year project to operationalize the DEU concept with 6 nursing units in 3 hospitals. The development of staff nurses as clinical instructors, best practices to teach and evaluate critical thinking in students, and the mix of student learners continue as focus areas.