NURS6116 is where the nurse educator track comes together. Students demonstrate mastery across all NLN core competencies through a capstone project that addresses a real nursing education challenge. This course integrates teaching strategies (NURS6105), curriculum design (NURS6107), technology integration (NURS6109/6112), assessment design (NURS6111), and professional role development (NURS6103) into a comprehensive scholarly project that demonstrates readiness for the nurse educator role.
Capstone project components
| Component | Description | Skills Demonstrated |
|---|---|---|
| Problem identification | Identify a significant nursing education problem supported by evidence — faculty shortage, student attrition, NCLEX pass rates, clinical placement scarcity, technology adoption | Needs assessment, literature review, data analysis |
| Literature review | Comprehensive, synthesized review of current evidence addressing the identified problem — not annotated bibliography but integrated analysis | Scholarly writing, evidence synthesis, critical appraisal |
| Proposed solution | Evidence-based intervention design — could be curriculum revision, teaching innovation, assessment redesign, technology implementation, or program development | Curriculum design, teaching strategies, technology integration |
| Evaluation plan | Systematic plan for evaluating the proposed intervention — outcome measures, data collection methods, timeline, analysis approach | Assessment and evaluation, program evaluation, research methods |
| Professional development | Reflection on personal growth across the nurse educator track — strengths, areas for development, career goals, CNE preparation | Self-assessment, professional identity, lifelong learning |
What NURS6116 covers
Systematic program evaluation is the culminating assessment skill in the nurse educator track. Students learn to design comprehensive evaluation plans using established models: the CIPP model (Context, Input, Process, Product), Kirkpatrick's four levels (reaction, learning, behavior, results), and logic models. The systematic evaluation plan (SEP) is a living document that nursing programs maintain for accreditation — it defines what data is collected, when, by whom, and how it's used for continuous improvement. NURS6116 requires students to design or analyze a SEP, demonstrating understanding of how individual assessment activities (test scores, clinical evaluations, course evaluations) feed into program-level evaluation that drives curriculum decisions.
Scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) receives its fullest treatment in NURS6116 because the capstone project itself is an act of SoTL. Boyer's model of scholarship — discovery, integration, application, and teaching — reframes the nurse educator's scholarly contribution. Not all scholarship is bench research; nurse educators contribute to the profession through systematic inquiry into teaching effectiveness, evidence-based innovation in educational practice, and dissemination of findings to the nursing education community. NURS6116 prepares students to present their capstone work at nursing education conferences, submit manuscripts to journals like Nursing Education Perspectives or Journal of Nursing Education, and pursue the CNE certification that validates their educator expertise.
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Key topics in NURS6116
- Systematic program evaluation: CIPP model, Kirkpatrick's levels, logic models, systematic evaluation plans for accreditation
- Capstone project development: problem identification, literature synthesis, evidence-based intervention design, evaluation planning
- Scholarship of teaching and learning: Boyer's model, SoTL methodology, peer review, conference presentation, manuscript preparation
- NLN competency synthesis: demonstrating mastery across all eight core competencies through capstone work
- Program outcome assessment: aggregating student data, analyzing trends, benchmarking, using data for curriculum decisions
- Accreditation readiness: self-study preparation, documentation of continuous improvement, site visit preparation
- CNE certification preparation: exam content alignment, professional portfolio development, certification application
- Career planning: academic job market, faculty portfolio, teaching philosophy statement, interview preparation
Program evaluation models used in NURS6116
- CIPP Model (Stufflebeam): Context (needs assessment — what problem exists?), Input (resources — what do we have to work with?), Process (implementation — is the program operating as planned?), Product (outcomes — did the program achieve its goals?) — comprehensive, used widely in nursing education accreditation
- Kirkpatrick's Four Levels: Reaction (did participants like it?), Learning (did they learn?), Behavior (did they apply it?), Results (did outcomes improve?) — practical hierarchy for evaluating educational interventions
- Logic Model: visual map of Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Short-term Outcomes → Long-term Impact — makes the causal chain explicit and testable
- Systematic Evaluation Plan (SEP): not a model per se but a required document for CCNE/ACEN accreditation — maps every program outcome to specific assessment methods, data collection schedules, responsible parties, and action plans based on findings
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Frequently asked questions
Strong capstone projects address a real, significant nursing education problem with an evidence-based solution and a rigorous evaluation plan. Common strong topics: improving NCLEX pass rates through a redesigned testing and remediation program, developing a simulation-based curriculum to address clinical placement shortages, creating a mentoring program for new adjunct faculty, redesigning a course using concept-based curriculum principles, or implementing a technology-enhanced clinical judgment development program. The key is specificity: a focused problem, a well-defined intervention grounded in evidence, and measurable outcomes. Weak capstone projects tend to be too broad ("improving nursing education"), lack evidence support, or propose interventions without evaluation plans. The capstone should demonstrate synthesis across the entire nurse educator track — not just one competency.
A systematic evaluation plan is a comprehensive document that maps how a nursing program evaluates every aspect of its operations and outcomes. It typically includes: program outcomes and their associated assessment methods, data collection schedules (when data is gathered and by whom), benchmarks and targets, analysis procedures, and action plans for when targets are not met. Accrediting bodies (CCNE, ACEN) require evidence that programs systematically collect, analyze, and use data for continuous improvement — the SEP is how programs document this process. In NURS6116, students learn to create or analyze a SEP, understanding how individual assessment activities (exam scores, clinical evaluations, student satisfaction, graduate surveys, employer surveys, NCLEX pass rates) feed into a systematic cycle of program evaluation and improvement.
The Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam, administered by the NLN, tests the eight core competencies covered throughout the nurse educator track. Preparation strategies: (1) Review the NLN's CNE Candidate Handbook for the detailed test blueprint showing the percentage of questions per competency area. (2) Use the CNE Review Manual (NLN's official prep book) and practice exams. (3) Map your MSN coursework to the CNE blueprint — NURS6103 aligns with competencies on educator role and leadership; NURS6105 with facilitating learning; NURS6107 with curriculum design; NURS6111 with assessment and evaluation. (4) Focus on areas where you have less experience — if you've never taught in a clinical setting, study clinical teaching strategies; if you've never participated in accreditation, study the accreditation process. (5) Form a study group with peers from the nurse educator track. The CNE exam can be taken after completing the MSN with the nurse educator specialization.