Nursing educator discusses how to prepare career-ready nurses

CNOs should collaborate closely with nursing schools to ensure curriculum and training align with the workforce’s needs, states Jason Dunne, DNP, RN, chief academic officer at the Arizona College of Nursing in Phoenix. Schools should provide an appropriate curriculum to enable graduate nurses to enter the clinical environment prepared to practice. Competencies should include critical thinking skills, clinical judgment, self-care skills to address burnout, an awareness and appreciation for patient diversity, communication skills and an ability to multitask, Dunn says. Nursing educators should address generational differences, since younger nurses prefer more collaborative and technological approaches to learning, he says. Simulation and virtual reality enable students to engage in complex patient care scenarios in a safe environment. Interprofessional education and teamwork also have become paramount. (HealthLeaders Media article, 9/3/24)