Teaching Social Determinants of Health Through an Unfolding Case Study

Abstract

T he American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has identified the concept of population health as an essential component in baccalaureate nursing education. 1 Strategies to teach and guide students through critical thinking and clinical judgment prepare students for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and for their transition to clinical practice. Clinical judgment includes recognizing and analyzing cues, prioritizing hypotheses, generating solutions, taking action, and evaluating the outcomes. 2 A case study is one method to teach critical thinking. The Next Generation NCLEX will incorporate case studies into the examinations to evaluate clinical judgment. 3,4 We describe the development of an unfolding case study to be used in the prelicensure educational setting. This unfolding case study is currently being piloted in community health nursing courses across the United States.

No Health Equity Without Diversity: Strengthening Nursing Programs in Historically Black Colleges and Universities

“…Additionally, future nurses and nursing leaders will be evaluated on their ability to critically assess SDOH. The Next Generation National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) will incorporate case studies into the examinations to evaluate clinical judgment based on SDOH variables (Hekel et al, 2023; Tiase et al, 2022). By considering this licensure requirement, for example, SDOH could give partnering institutions a mechanism to redesign classroom engagement around the use of case studies in clinical practice (Health Level 7, 2021; Tiase et al, 2022) as a way to highlight how disparate groups experience promote health equity, and to systematically renew the call for a more diverse group of health-care professionals and leaders.…”

Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Education: Integrating Into Curriculum and Practice

“…Case studies are one method to teach critical thinking and clinical reasoning by allowing students to purposefully understand and interpret information in the delivery of care. Specifically, unfolding case studies align with nursing practice as they progress gradually in real time (Hekel, 2023). Incorporating unfolding case studies into nursing curricula allows for active engagement of students and can evolve throughout the individual course or multiple courses throughout a program.…”

“…Students build fundamental thought processes through the presentation of realistic, real-world scenarios occurring over a period of time. Furthermore, it provides fundamental thought processes, enhances clinical judgment, and prepares students to enter the workforce or advance their knowledge within the nursing profession (Hekel, 2023).…”