Thought this would be of interest: Kent State nursing experts instrumental in the future of nursing

Two Kent State nursing professors are collaborating on a project that will help prepare nursing students for 21st century practice.

Barbara Yoost, M.S.N., R.N., C.N.S., C.N.E., and Lynne Crawford, M.S.N., R.N., M.B.A., are co-authoring a comprehensive McGraw-Hill first edition Fundamentals of Nursing textbook, expected to be published in early 2011.

The text will provide current evidence-based practice methodology, point-of-care reference materials and student-centered learning pedagogy.

"We hope that instructors and students can take away current thinking strategies, professional role knowledge and research-based current information for safe patient care," Crawford said.

Yoost and Crawford are working in collaboration with McGraw-Hill and Area9 in Denmark to develop online simulators that will allow students to practice therapeutic communication, critical thinking, decision-making, nursing interventions and skills development in an interactive environment.

These online simulators will supplement the printed textbook.

McGraw-Hill and Area9 captured more than 27,000 photos and video clips at the College of Nursing's Simulation Lab earlier this month.

Yoost and Crawford began working on the project after a representative from the Career Education Division of McGraw-Hill Publishing contacted them.

"Because the text is supplemented by some of the most innovative learning technologies available, we decided to commit to the project," Yoost said.

"The team is committed to developing a fundamentals text with current practice content and innovative student learning and faculty teaching tools, which will help to better prepare nursing students."

In addition to their work on the textbook, Yoost and Crawford are helping students succeed in yet another way. The Yoost and Crawford Fundamentals of Nursing Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student who has demonstrated outstanding performance in clinical nursing at the Fundamentals level.