A New Biology Lab Curriculum for Nursing Students Emphasizing Investigative Learning Through the Use of Computer Technology

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A major restructuring of biology laboratory courses for nursing students is being undertaken so that these students can better meet the challenges they will be faced with later in their clinical/professional careers. With the recent changes and cuts in the health care system, nurses are taking on more and more responsibilities that were previously assigned to physicians. Nurses must have additional skills than their predecessors to accommodate their changing role and status. The objective is to lay a solid foundation for our students so that they will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. To achieve this goal we are incorporating an "Active Learning/ Investigative" approach to laboratory experimentation. The computerized instrumentation acquired with the grant funds is allowing the students the flexibility to access background information about the subject being investigated, design the experiment with parameters that they have chosen and communicate with students at Penn State Abington via a server to share and analyze data. Students are encouraged to make initial observations and formulate hypotheses, then by using computers, computerized data acquisition and statistical analysis in the experimental process, they learn how to organize and analyze their raw data just as individuals involved in clinical or basic research. Our aim is to get away from "cookbook" type experimentation by encouraging students to design a series of innovative lab exercises based on the biological principles learned in the corresponding lecture component of the courses. Our approach is on investigative learning and: a) Develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills; b) Enhances communication skills, both written and verbal; c) Enhances computer competency; d) Encourages teamwork between students at Frankford and Abington; e) Helps students acquire a general understanding of scientific methodology and its implication in the clinical setting.