Unit 2.2
Identifying Students’ Needs
NLN Competency: I
Objectives
- Explain five aspects of identity and actions that impact the student
- Integrate reflective learning and teaching strategies to meet the needs of the learner
Introduction
To support learning, teachers can be aware of student learning, social, and school needs. Teachers who have a strong knowledge base and can adapt content delivery to meet student needs will improve learning for students. Students need two things to be effective care providers. Students must have a healthcare knowledge base; and must also learn how to think, process information, and make clinical decisions.
In coming to know students, the educator may need to explore aspects of identity and readiness for learning.
These factors include:
- Life traits – gender, age, physical development, physical disabilities, health, motor skills, coordination, and diagnosed learning disabilities;
- Culture and social factors – a sense of stability, both now and in the past, fiscal status, ethnic and racial background, culture, language, religion, norms and values, gender issues;
- Home social factors – family structure, family history, recent change or loss in the family, attitudes, peer status, and self-esteem;
- School conduct – concrete or abstract thinking, reading skills, ability to focus, past success, oral and written language, ability to put things in order and sequence, and logical thinking; and
- Learning styles – interests, thought and process skills, and living and social influences (Beauvais, Brady, O’Shea & Griffin (2011).
To determine if student is prepared to learn
- Observe their actions, words, and conduct
- Use formal and informal assessment tools
- Reveal current knowledge, skills, and mindset
- Reveal needs based on information and factors listed above
- Discuss issues and needs with the student
Understanding the student allows teachers to:
- Create a safe social environment for every learner;
- Develop and apply greater emotional intelligence in the classroom;
- Identify a variety of teaching strategies that may increase student success; and
- Engage reflective learning to develop the thinking process of the student.
Emotional Intelligence and Nursing Practice
Emotional intelligence (emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions to relieve stress, communicate, understand others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.
The term can be defined as being aware of, able to control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle relationships and communication with thought, judgment, and empathy.
EQ is often cited as a key to both personal and work success. EQ is commonly defined by the four traits of self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship management. EQ helps manage stress and emotions when facing exams, difficult communications, and other stress. To improve EQ, one must learn how to manage stress. When people understand and can control emotions, they are better able to express feelings and understand others. This action allows communication to be more effective and forge stronger relationships, both at work and in-home life.
The link between EQ and nursing work is outlined in the statement, “emotions are needed for people to make choices, take actions, and perform well.” Study findings show a positive connection between EQ and nursing function. The study’s results show that the elements of
teaching, planning, relationships, and communication were connected with EQ scores.
Developing self-awareness and self-confidence is key to nursing practice ability. EQ growth is supported by reflective learning experiences, supportive supervision, mentorship, modeling, and feedback.
Reflective Learning and Critical Thinking
The new nurse must be able to process assessment and other medical data and make clinical decisions based on the significance of the data. The decisions will determine what actions are needed. This process is nursing judgment in action and a vital skill to be developed within the teaching nursing process. Clinical judgment requires a level of practice so that the student can notice what themes and trends are repeated. Teachers play an important role in supporting reason and judgment skills. Tanner developed a pattern for clinical instructors and teachers to establish a pattern of thinking/processing that supports critical thinking and clinical judgment.
The model looks at what did the student:
- Notice
- Interpret
- Respond
- Reflect on
Students are taught these steps as a structure for reflecting on their practice. With these four steps being repeated by all clinical and classroom teachers, a pattern of thinking is established for students.
Conclusion
The teacher seeks to develop both the knowledge base and the clinical thinking ability of the student. These core elements are addressed most effectively when teaching is adapted to the individual needs of the student and reflective learning strategies are used to develop thinking.
Many factors must be taken into account to discover student needs. Aspects of identity and self-image are impacted by home, family, social, life traits, school, and cultural background. Each of these elements play a role in the student’s readiness to learn. Emotional intelligence plays an important role in growth of the student’s self-image and self-esteem. Students need a knowledge base, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence to be able to communicate their findings, plans, concerns, and team process. These qualities lead towards independent thinking that includes reflection and clinical judgment.
The teacher seeks to develop both the knowledge base and the clinical thinking ability of the student. These core elements are addressed most effectively when teaching is adapted to the individual needs of the student and reflective learning strategies are used to develop thinking.
Many factors must be taken into account to discover student needs. Aspects of identity and self-image are impacted by home, family, social, life traits, school, and cultural background. Each of these elements play a role in the student’s readiness to learn. Emotional intelligence plays an important role in growth of the student’s self-image and self-esteem. Students need a knowledge base, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence to be able to communicate their findings, plans, concerns, and team process. These qualities lead towards independent thinking that includes reflection and clinical judgment.
Clinical Exercise: Questions for Debriefing with Tanner’s Model of Clinical Judgment
Noticing
- What did you notice about your patient? Include assessment data, environment, patient/family dynamics, and treatment plan.
- What did you notice about the nursing team/other nurses? Include how they approached, communicated, and developed patient care strategies.
Interpreting
- What was the primary patient concern?
- What could be done to address the problem?
Responding
- What was done to address the patient situation?
- What was the plan?
- What were the priorities?
- How did you/the team determine the priorities?
- Did the plan change?
- What changed?
Reflecting
- How did the intervention affect the clinical situation?
- How will this event affect your future practices/action?
References
Beauvais, A. M., Brady, N., O’Shea, E. R., & Griffin, M. T. (2011). Emotional intelligence and nursing performance among nursing students. Nurse education today, 31(4), 396–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2010.07.013