NR537 Week 7: Collaboration Café
You are responsible for the skills laboratory (either for mentoring a small group of new nurses or senior nursing students), and it is time for check-offs. You prepared four different scenarios, each requiring different nursing skills. You provided the learners with a basic overview of each scenario. The day before the check-off, you select the one scenario that will be used for the check-off, and prepare the skills laboratory. During the check-off, you are repeatedly amazed at how well-prepared the learners are. The next day, after the check-off, one of the learners comes to your office and asks to speak to you. During the conversation, she identifies that another learner had correctly found out which scenario was going to be used during the check-off and told everyone in the group. She refuses to identify the other learner who found out the information. What would be your course of action?
NR537 Week 7: Collaboration Café Answer
Addressing this situation involves maintaining the integrity of the learning environment and ensuring fairness among learners. Here’s a suggested course of action:
1. Acknowledge and Appreciate Honesty:
- Express appreciation to the learner who came forward with this information. Acknowledge the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of check-off scenarios.
2. Assure Confidentiality:
- Reassure the learner that their identity will be kept confidential. This is crucial to encourage openness and honesty in reporting such incidents.
3. Conduct an Investigation:
- Initiate a discreet investigation to determine the validity of the reported incident. This might involve talking to other learners who were part of the group to gather additional information.
4. Interview the Alleged Offender:
- If there is sufficient evidence, have a private conversation with the learner who allegedly disclosed the scenario. Allow them to present their side of the story and consider any mitigating factors.
5. Emphasize Academic Integrity:
- Remind learners of the importance of academic integrity, ethical conduct, and maintaining a fair learning environment. Clearly communicate the consequences of breaching confidentiality.
6. Educate on Professionalism:
- Take the opportunity to educate all learners on the professional implications of such actions. Emphasize the importance of trust, honesty, and professional conduct in the nursing profession.
7. Discuss Consequences:
- If the allegations are confirmed, discuss appropriate consequences with the learner who disclosed the scenario. This might include a warning, reevaluation, or other educational interventions.
8. Reiterate Expectations:
- Reinforce expectations regarding confidentiality and the consequences of violating trust. Make it clear that such behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
9. Review Check-Off Procedures:
- Evaluate and possibly revise the procedures for selecting and communicating check-off scenarios to prevent similar incidents in the future.
10. Continuous Monitoring:
- Monitor the skills laboratory environment more closely in the future to ensure the confidentiality of check-off scenarios and the fair evaluation of all learners.
11. Document the Incident:
- Document the incident, the investigation process, and the actions taken. This documentation can serve as a reference for future incidents and help maintain transparency.
By following these steps, you can address the issue while emphasizing the importance of integrity, professionalism, and maintaining a fair and ethical learning environment.
