Patient-Centered Case Study for Health and Illness in the Undergraduate Program
Overview
Each group of students will review the assigned case study and prepare a PowerPoint presentation that must include the following: (a) answers and key points, (b) three interactive activities (e.g., NCLEX/NextGen style questions, Games, Video Quizzes, etc.) for the class, and (c) each group member presenting a portion in front of the class. The students will have 15 minutes to present their case study and 5 additional minutes to answer questions. In addition, each student completes a peer evaluation of one presenting group as part of the overall assignment.
How to Use
The case studies are reviewed each semester by the instructor and adjusted to the concepts being taught in class. Then pre-assigned dates are provided for the case studies so that they are presented the week after the concept has been taught by the professor. The questions within each case study have similar formatting that promotes students using critical thinking and decision-making. Additionally, the students create a patient plan of care through a series of questions and answers without formally writing up a care plan. This allows the students to discuss what they learned with each other, work together as a team, and apply their knowledge. Students also develop three interactive learning activities for their classmates, and present one of the activities, and the other two are used as part of the end-of-the-semester review before the final. This assists in solidifying their knowledge concept while offering another teaching strategy for their peers to learn from. Each student presents their portion of the case study, and every student completes a peer review group or presentation. Each case study is graded using a standardized grading rubric noted within the assessment strategies that ensure all students are addressing the key concepts of the case study.
Download Student Instructions & Case Study
Integrative Learning Strategies
Case Study
Case study has been used in nursing education to apply nursing knowledge to clinical practice and to promote critical thinking and reasoning (Mauldin, 2021). For this activity, case study exemplars were developed based on nursing textbooks and relevant examples from recent studies in nursing research. Subsequently, they were reviewed by faculty members whose expertise is in nursing education. Case study exemplars reinforce dynamic learning activities where students follow patient problems through the chronology of illness from primary care and chronic conditions to acute and complex health conditions. The case studies also included patients from diverse backgrounds facing health disparities.
Integrative learning strategies involve:
- Flipped classroom
- Formative assessment
- Inclusive teaching pedagogy
Assessment Strategies
Exemplar
Students are assessed and evaluated on their ability to exhibit critical thinking and clinical judgment on the given case study as it evolves in complexity. There is not necessarily a right or wrong for all the questions, but for the students to demonstrate their thought process, rationale, and understanding of the responses they provide. In addition, their responses are patient-focused, assisting the students in reviewing all possible options and choosing the best one for their patients.
Possible Courses
- Health & Illness Courses
- Medical Surgical Theory Courses
- Clinical Practice Courses
- Acute and Chronic Nursing Care
Additional Resources/Publications
American Nurses Association. Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition. 4th ed. American Nurses Association, 2021.
Betty Kehl Richardson. 2007. Case Studies in Psychiatric Nursing. Delmar Pub.
Caputi, Linda. Think Like a Nurse: A Handbook. New York, United States: Macmilla Publishers, 2020.
Giddens, Jean Foret. Concepts for Nursing Practice (with EBook Access on VitalSource). M Marssen, Netherlands: Elsevier Gezondheidszorg, 2020.
Ignatavicius, Donna Cne D Anef, M PhD Linda Faan Workman, Cherie PhD Mba Coi Rebar, and Nicole Dnp M Coi Heimgartner. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Interprofessional Collaborative Care. Maarssen, Netherlands: Elsevier Gezondheidszorg, 2020.
Ignatavicius, Donna. Developing Clinical Judgment for Professional Nursing and the Next-Generation NCLEX-RN Examination. Maarssen, Netherlands: Elsevier Gezondheidszorg, 2020.
Mauldin, Betsy. 2021. “Bringing Clinical Context to the Classroom in Nursing Pharmacology.” Nursing Education Perspectives Publish Ahead of Print (December). https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nep.0000000000000919.
Sub-competencies for entry-level professional nursing education:
- 1.2a Apply or employ knowledge from nursing science as well as the natural, physical, and social sciences to build an understanding of the human experience and nursing practice.
- 1.2d Examine influence of personal values in decision making for nursing practice.
- 1.2e Demonstrate ethical decision making.
- 1.3a Demonstrate clinical reasoning.
- 1.3c Incorporate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to support clinical judgment.
- 2.2b Consider individual beliefs, values, and personalized information in communications.
- 2.2c Use a variety of communication modes appropriate for the context.
- 2.3e Distinguish between normal and abnormal health findings.
- 2.3f Apply nursing knowledge to gain a holistic perspective of the person, family, community, and population.
- 2.3g Communicate findings of a comprehensive assessment.
- 2.4a Synthesize assessment data in the context of the individual’s current preferences, situation, and experience.
- 2.4b Create a list of problems/health concerns.
- 2.4c Prioritize problems/health concerns.
- 2.4d Understand and apply the results of social screening, psychological testing, laboratory data, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tests in actions and plans of care.
- 2.4e Contribute as a team member to the formation and improvement of diagnoses.
- 2.5a Engage the individual and the team in plan development.
- 2.5b Organize care based on mutual health goals.
- 2.5c Prioritize care based on best evidence.
- 2.5d Incorporate evidence-based intervention to improve outcomes and safety.
- 2.5e Anticipate outcomes of care (expected, unexpected, and potentially adverse).
- 2.5f Demonstrate rationale for plan.
- 2.5g Address individuals’ experiences and perspectives in designing plans of care.
- 4.1e Participate in scholarly inquiry as a team member.
- 4.1f Evaluate research.
- 4.1g Communicate scholarly findings.
- 9.2f Apply principles of therapeutic relationships and professional boundaries.
- 9.2g Communicate in a professional manner.
- 9.4b Adhere to the registered nurse scope and standards of practice.
Posted: March 24, 2023
Submitted by:
Nicole Simonson, DNP, RN, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing
Lisa Brennan DNP, MBA, RN, FNP-BC, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing
Vipavee Thongpriwan, PhD, RN, CNE, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing