UC nursing faculty participate in a workshop in a simulation lab.

By Jenny Carrick

More than 45 nursing faculty from throughout the University of California took part in the first-ever UC Systemwide Nursing Faculty Development Event, Sunday and Monday (March 13-14) at UC Davis Health System in Sacramento.

"This event represents a much-needed opportunity to invest strategically in the future of our UC nursing faculty," said John D. Stobo, UC senior vice president for health sciences and services. "As the demand for health care in California continues to grow, systemwide initiatives, such as this one, enable us to recognize and support the contributions of our extraordinary faculty and their dedication to teaching and student success."

Faculty from each of UC's four nursing programs worked together, along with UC Office of the President Division of Health Sciences and Services representatives, to plan the day-and-a-half-long workshop.

"Never before have nursing faculty from UCLA, UC San Francisco, UC Irvine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis met together to discuss teaching and learning," said Deborah Ward, UC Davis nursing school associate dean and one of the event planners. "This is the first such systemwide faculty event across all our health science programs. We're excited to work with our colleagues throughout the University of California to grow collaborative partnerships and leverage resources, ensuring the UC system continues to offer innovative education programs."

The event opened Sunday with a dinner and reception, a discussion on teaching social justice and an opportunity for faculty to get to know one another.

"Nursing faculty can be a model for UC," said Ellen Olshansky, director of nursing science at UC Irvine. "We're working together to find innovative ways of educating our students."

Faculty participated in a number of workshops Monday, including hands-on activities at the UC Davis Center for Virtual Care, where the educators used an array of sophisticated teaching aids such as patient simulators who breathe and respond to treatment as humans. Workshop topics covered a range of areas, including clinical education, learning and teaching styles, interprofessional teaching, as well as non-traditional teaching methods.

"Attending this workshop provided a wonderful opportunity to update knowledge and skills about use of technology (human simulators) and innovative instructional strategies that enhance students' learning and reflective teaching as well as promote patient safety. Participating in workshops with nursing faculty from across the UC system provided a foundation for future collaborative efforts aimed at building meaningful learning environments across programs," said Deborah Koniak-Griffin, UCLA nursing professor and Audrienne H. Moseley Endowed Chair in Women's Health Research and director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations Research.

The event concluded with a discussion on student assessment and clinical competency.

"This was a tremendous opportunity for nursing faculty throughout UC to support and learn from each other," said Judy Martin-Holland, associate dean of academic programs and diversity integration at the UC San Francisco School of Nursing. "We must continue to find ways to work collaboratively in this budget-restricted era for the UC system. Together, we can ensure innovative educational programs so our graduates can lead changes in health care."