Undergraduate nursing curriculum is changing to keep pace with the healthcare system. As a result, nursing faculties must consider innovative approaches to clinical instruction. In 2010, one nursing faculty transformed the traditional sessional clinical instructor role into a Nursing Practice Instructor role in order to facilitate the integration between theory and practice in both on and off campus settings. This descriptive qualitative study involved conversational interviews led by Nursing Practice Instructor peer-researchers to elicit the perceptions of how roles have changed from that of a sessional instructor. Eligibility for participation included all Nursing Practice Instructors who previously held a role as a sessional instructor in the same faculty. Data Analysis was done using a content analysis approach where themes within each guiding question were identified and then compared for congruency and further interpretation. Participants felt that there were differences between the sessional Clinical Instructors and Nursing Practice Instructor roles and expectations and as a result of this change, they were more invested in their teaching role based on their ability to integrate the curriculum, the opportunity to engage in the faculty, and contribute to student learning in a more significant way. Overall, the Nursing Practice Instructor role has initiated changes in how clinical instructors are employed and supported, contributing positively to the outcomes associated with an integrated, context-relevant curriculum, and ultimately, fostering future nurses with the ability to make a difference in the healthcare system.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore storytelling in post-secondary instruction and to reflect upon the authors’ experiences as instructors in two diverse areas of study. Both nursing and education promote a theory-based approach that is disconnected from the practical application of skills required. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose that using storytelling in the undergraduate classroom promotes an emotional engagement with the material, creates authentic human connections and demonstrates a practical application of content. The sharing of personal narratives creates a portal through which we understand the meaningful human element of the work, and the collective essence of our world. The authors believe that these outcomes are essential for the development of an empathetic and compassionate professional who understands the significance of the emotional, social and cognitive component of holistic learning that is required for the eventual acquisition of mastery in our disciplines. Findings Based on the authors’ experiences, the authors have found that storytelling creates a bridge between the curriculum theory and the implementation of that theory in the living world within the respective disciplines. Practical implications As instructors at the University of Calgary, in the Faculty of Education and Nursing, the authors see many intersections in the work and the instructional methodologies that the authors implement in the undergraduate classrooms to allow for authentic learning experiences. These cross-curricular connections have caused us to reflect on the use of storytelling in the humanities to promote emotions, create connections and demonstrate a practical and authentic application of theoretic concepts in both the undergraduate education and nursing programs. Originality/value This is an original piece of duo-ethnographic work composed by two researchers who were reflecting on praxis.

Up to 18% of undergraduate students have some form of learning disability, with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) being the most common subtype. Some of these students enter nursing programs. Post-secondary institutions are developing processes to help students overcome traditional academic challenges, however, the demands of clinical practice courses are not easily modified. Effective performance in clinical settings requires nursing students to develop sophisticated executive functions for organization, prioritization, and managing distractions, all of which present considerable challenges for students with ADHD. We present a case study to illustrate the coaching intervention we adapted from the education literature for a nursing student with ADHD who was struggling in clinical practice courses. The most effective coaching strategies helped the student to harness his energy and enhance focus on the task at hand.