Systematic Curriculum Mapping of Virtual Patient Assignments to End-of-Program Outcomes

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual clinical learning assignments replaced onsite clinical instruction in many prelicensure nursing programs, but the alignment of those learning experiences to end-of-program outcomes was unknown.Purpose: This article describes the process and results of mapping student competencies gained via virtual patient simulation experiences to a program's end-of-program outcomes and accrediting standards. Methods: A faculty team followed the process of curriculum mapping as described in the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of the program's virtual clinical learning product in addressing end-of-program outcomes. Results:The mapping process identified where competencies were being met, which needed enhancing or were redundant, and where gaps existed. Conclusions: Curriculum mapping is an effective strategy in evaluating whether virtual patient simulation learning experiences support end-of-program outcomes. Mapping learning activities to outcomes will be fundamental to curriculum development and evaluation as schools of nursing integrate accrediting standards.

AACN Essentials as the Conceptual Thread of Nursing Education

“…Through curriculum mapping, key elements in the teaching and learning process are made explicit, as well as relationships and alignment between courses. 20,21 Levin and Suhayda 22 refer to curriculum mapping as a curriculum crosswalk because the curriculum map is a spreadsheet, preferably Excel, whereby course objectives, assessments, activities, and content are aligned and compared with a national standard. 20,21 For your program's curricula, we suggest mapping the specific courses and objectives to the 2021 Essentials, including the competencies and subcompetencies, to determine which competencies are met (or not met).…”

“…20,21 The final product will yield valuable information as teaching and learning processes become transparent and relationships between course, objectives, activities, and assessments are clarified, which ultimately leads to a more effective and efficient end product. 20,21 During the curriculum mapping process, you will review curriculum in its entirety, from a program perspective, across all subjects and courses to analyze data, taking note of your program's strengths and opportunities for improvement. Remember to rely on your academic practice partnerships to help collaboratively evaluate the nursing program 15 After this step, you now have the information needed to begin the work of redesigning and transforming curriculum to address deficiencies.…”

“…The transparency that a curriculum map will provide helps you identify a program's strengths and potential inadequacies and include gaps, redundancies, and/or areas that need strengthening. Through curriculum mapping, key elements in the teaching and learning process are made explicit, as well as relationships and alignment between courses 20,21…”

“…The plan should include details that describe how you plan to identify what currently exists in the curricula and to what degree courses currently meet applicable 2021 Essentials' competencies. This process will need to be consistently applied across all curricula/courses and all reviewers 20,21. The final product will yield valuable information as teaching and learning processes become transparent and relationships between course, objectives, activities, and assessments are clarified, which ultimately leads to a more effective and efficient end product 20,21…”

“…This process will need to be consistently applied across all curricula/courses and all reviewers 20,21. The final product will yield valuable information as teaching and learning processes become transparent and relationships between course, objectives, activities, and assessments are clarified, which ultimately leads to a more effective and efficient end product 20,21…”