Chapter Two Appendices Academic Program Profiles

Unit Mission and Values:

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

• 
  Barbara Sperry, Nursing Secretary
  
• 
  Carol Thiel, Nursing Arts Laboratory Manager
  
• 
  Chris Gifford, Advisor
  

Courses and Programs Offered:

Assessment and Effectiveness:

1. 
   Successfully complete the Utah State certification written and skills tests.
   
2. 
   Function effectively as an entry-level nursing assistant.
   
3. 
   Follow safety and infection control procedures for protection of patients, self, and others.
   
4. 
   Apply specialized job skills and abilities that may be required in the sub acute care, long-term care,
   

5. 
   Recognize and report changes and abnormalities to the nurse or primary healthcare provider.
   
6. 
   Utilize effective communication techniques with patients and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
   
7. 
   Follow HIPAA guidelines for the protection of patient confidentiality.
   
8. 
   Use components of restorative and rehabilitation nursing care.
   

Program assessment and improvement also occurs by utilizing results of student evaluations of teaching, Utah State Certified Nursing Assistant Registry certification examination pass rates, program completion rates, employment rates, feedback on program completers’ skills by the skill examiner, and faculty review of curriculum. For example, the skills examiner reported that program examinees commonly were deficient in certain skills. The faculty used this feedback to realign laboratory and clinical learning to include more experience for students in the deficient skills.

Major Accomplishments and Changes:

• 
  Significantly increased student demand and enrollment in courses
  
• 
  Elimination of a self-paced, open-ended CNA course option
  
• 
  Changes in curriculum as required by the Utah Certified Nursing Assistant Registry
  
• 
  Elimination of classes offered at two satellite locations in Washington County
  

Unit Resources:

• 
  Physical Resources
  

feet. The lab room also is “smart” and includes the same computer and Internet access as classrooms. The CNA lab holds 10 beds separated by ceiling-mounted hospital curtains. Each bed area has wall outlets for suction and compressed air as well as bedside and over-the-bed tables. Two large storage rooms allow for adequate and secure storage of lab supplies.

• Learning Resources and Technology

• Fiscal Resources

• Program Strengths and Limiting Factors:

• 
  Strengths
  
  • 
    Community clinical learning experiences
    
  • 
    Dedicated, hard-working faculty and staff
    
  • 
    Beautiful physical facility with adequate office and supporting space
    
  • 
    Experienced program coordinator
    

• Areas Needing Development

  • 
    Progress in using an assessment plan of evaluation for continuous program improvement
    
  • 
    Adjunct to full-time faculty ratio
    
  • 
    Retention of adjunct faculty
    
  • 
    Inability to fulfill student demand due to insufficient numbers of adjunct faculty
    

• Plans for the Future:

• 
  Examine and institute strategies to increase certification examination pass rates.
  
• 
  Mentoring of program coordinator and faculty in program assessment planning and evaluation
  
• 
  Request for addition of one full-time faculty position
  
• 
  Initiate and maintain strategies for retention of adjunct faculty
  

Patricia Wintch, RDH, BSDH, MSDH, Program Chair

225 South 700 East Taylor Health Science Building #105 St. George, Utah 84770

1. 
   Comprehensively prepare students for success in the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam and the Regional or State Board Exams.
   
2. 
   Comprehensively prepare student to demonstrate patient care utilizing the Dental Hygiene Process of Care.
   
3. 
   Provide learning experiences to produce dental hygienists with high ethical standards and professional conduct.
   
4. 
   Comprehensively prepare students to provide community service and develop community partnerships.
   
5. 
   Comprehensively prepare students for graduation with an AAS degree and promote the dental hygiene profession.
   
6. 
   Develop partnerships that will encourage and support increased education and life-long learning.
   

Each year the program completes a program review in which results of these and other assessment tools are evaluated by program faculty. If any areas are deemed deficient or needing improvement, faculty institute strategies for improvement. For example, if scores on a particular content area in the licensing exam are less than desired, faculty increase the course content in that particular area or subject.

• 
  Early Head Start children and families
  
• 
  Title I elementary school students
  
• 
  Children at Sealant Saturdays
  
• 
  Children at Give Kids a Smile days
  
• 
  Patients at long term and rehabilitation centers
  

Other strengths include program faculty and staff who are dedicated to student learning and success, enhanced student support by assigning students to a faculty mentor, use of multiple types of state-of-the-art technology, and institutional support of faculty development for advanced education and continuing education for maintenance of licensure.

Plans for the Future:

• 
  Request a .5 to 1.0 FTE faculty position.
  
• 
  Continue to systematically evaluate program effectiveness.
  
• 
  Maintain strong community partnerships.
  
• 
  Consider increasing enrollment in the AAS degree program as community dental hygienist positions become more available.
  

** Awaiting to receive results from 2 students

435-879-4950

• 
  “DSC’s mission of offering certificate programs that meet the needs of students, the community, and the
  

• 
  “DSC has an ongoing commitment to its community college role, which includes transfer education, career and technical education, customized training for employers, developmental education, and strong student services.”
  
• 
  “DSC will cooperate with the local community, region, and state to identify and meet the demands of business and industry.”
  

• 
  Student pass rate on the Utah State Department of Health Bureau of EMS EMT-Basic, EMT- Intermediate, and Paramedic certification examinations
  
• 
  Employer surveys
  
• 
  Student pass rate of National Registry Paramedic Examination
  
• 
  Semester end comprehensive examinations pass with a minimum score of 80%
  
• 
  All written assignments passed with a minimum score of 80%
  
• 
  Student pass rate of program’s practical skills final pass-off stations with a minimum score of 80%
  
• 
  Documentation and written verification of the completion of the mandatory clinical hours and rotations
  
• 
  Documented and written verification of required vehicular hours
  
• 
  Written preceptor evaluation of leadership and patient care skills
  
• 
  Research paper concerning the importance of continuing professional EMS education
  
• 
  Written paper describing the students’ self perception of professionalism
  
• 
  Post graduate surveys
  

The program’s systematic plan of evaluation can be found at http://www.dixie.edu/health/ems/ .

Major Changes and Significant Trends:

• 
  The first strength is program students. The DSC EMS program is the only program in the state of Utah to accept non-agency, independent students. Students from local agencies and the surrounding area have chosen to attend DSC for its proximity and quality of the course. All local agencies have employed graduates of the DSC EMS programs.
  
• 
  The second major strength is support from the local medical community, hospital, and emergency medical services (EMS). Physicians in the area are committed to the program and as such, give their time to students in teaching in the classroom, labs, and medical facilities. The local hospital and EMS services
  

• 
  The third strength is the full and enthusiastic support of the college administration. We are given considerable consideration with respect to budget for equipment and general program operations.
  
• 
  The locale in which the program is situated also is a strength. A mild and temperate climate allows the program to conduct many outdoor exercises comfortably year round. As the program is located close to several national parks and major recreational areas, the program has the unusual luxury of including wilderness rescue operations into our curricula. The climate attracts a significant number of retired people and is listed as one of the most desirable retirement areas in the United States. Due to the ageing population, the local ambulance services have a markedly high number of major medical cases and advanced cardiac life support calls, which affords program students valuable experiences. Interstate 15 is a principal east-west corridor into southern California and frequent motor vehicle accidents that are expected from a heavily trafficked roadway provide field learning experiences for program students.
  

Challenges for the program include limited time for clinical rotations and travel for students to distance locations for field and clinical sites. The program competes for clinical sites with nursing, paramedic, and physician’s assistant programs in Utah and Nevada. Another limitation is the workload of the program coordinator who must fulfill administrative and instructional responsibilities in the program. This has been somewhat helped by the addition of a

74. 
    FTE faculty member in 2010-2011.
    

Description, Mission and Values:

Mission Statement:

Philosophy:

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

Courses and programs offered:

Assessment and Effectiveness:

• 
  Students will demonstrate correct positioning for radiographic procedures.
  
• 
  Students will practice radiation protection.
  
• 
  Students will be able to modify standard procedures.
  
• 
  Students will critique radiographic images.
  
• 
  Students will recognize the importance of patient confidentiality.
  
• 
  Students will perform procedures with compassion to all.
  
• 
  Students will demonstrate oral communication skills.
  
• 
  Students will demonstrate written communication skills.
  

Major Changes and Significant Trends:

Department Resources, Strengths, and Limiting Factors:

Plans for the Future:

Description:

7. 
   Biology, Chemistry, English, Math, and Psychology.
   

Unit Mission and Values:

• 
  Provide an innovative and collaborative learning environment.
  
• 
  Prepare generalist nurses who can practice in various health care settings.
  
• 
  Apply evidence-based practice in educational and clinical settings.
  
• 
  Enhance the quality of life of diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and society.
  
• 
  Promote responsibility and commitment to lifelong learning.
  

The following table illustrates the link between the mission and values of the nursing program to DSC’s core themes.

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

Department of Nursing staff includes:

• 
  Colleen Hales, Administrative Assistant, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health
  
• 
  Barbara Sperry, Nursing Secretary
  
• 
  Carol Thiel, Nursing Arts Laboratory Manager
  
• 
  Alice Clegg, Nursing Advisor
  

Courses and Programs Offered:

Assessment and Effectiveness:

Nursing program outcomes include quantitative measures of NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, program satisfaction, and job placement. The following table indicates the desired program outcomes for the ADN and BSN programs.

Assessment of program effectiveness includes student evaluation of teaching, exiting student, alumni, employer, and faculty surveys. The nursing program also utilizes qualitative measures of program satisfaction such as focus group results, survey comments, and Nursing Advisory Committee discussions. In addition, the nursing program utilizes a systematic plan of evaluation arising from NLNAC accreditation criteria and student learning outcomes. The Systematic Evaluation Plan provides examples of goals, outcomes, and their measurements as well as how results of assessment are being used to improve teaching and learning in the nursing program.

• 
  The BSN curriculum was revised by eliminating a Spanish for Nurses course as student evaluations identified a 1-credit, online course as being inadequate for achievement of learning outcomes.
  
• 
  Nursing faculty responded to the trend in decreasing NCLEX-RN® pass rates from 2005 to 2008 for graduates of the ADN program. Faculty first identified the possible and probable causes then instituted strategies to successfully reverse the trend and eventually lead to increasing licensure exam pass rates. Actions initiated included early identification of at-risk students, placement of students in a medical-surgical nursing capstone clinical experience, revised admissions criteria, reinstitution of a progression policy, and enhanced faculty development efforts and support.
  
• 
  Student achievement of two BSN program learning outcomes as evidenced by the senior capstone portfolio did not meet the desired level of achievement with first use of the portfolio in spring 2010. In response, faculty enhanced portfolio instructions to include examples of assignments that show achievement of outcomes. Students entering the BSN program in fall 2010 were informed of portfolio assignment/instructions with program orientation material. Faculty reviewed the BSN curriculum for course objectives, learning activities, and evaluation methods related to each outcome.
  

Major Accomplishments and Changes:

• 
  First RN-to-BSN program graduating class in May 2006
  
• 
  Four faculty positions added in 2007; full time faculty increased from 4 to 8
  
• 
  Enhanced pediatric clinical experience with addition of community pediatric sites in 2007
  

• 
  Continuing NLNAC accreditation ADN program for eight years granted February 2009
  
• 
  College restructuring with School of Nursing and Allied Health created; Dean of Nursing and Allied Health appointed with continuing responsibilities as nursing program administrator July 2010
  
• 
  Initial NLNAC accreditation BSN program granted October 2010
  
• 
  Increasing use and expansion of simulation laboratory with addition of second high-fidelity simulation mannequin in 2010
  
• 
  1 + 1 4- semester PN + ADN Program revised to straight 3-semester ADN program January 2011
  
• 
  ADN curriculum revised to concept-based curriculum beginning January 2011
  
• 
  Enrollment decreased from accepting 48 students twice a year to 32 students twice a year beginning January 2011
  
• 
  Nursing lecture/advisor position added fall 2011
  
• 
  Five out of eight full time faculty enrolled in doctorate programs fall 2011
  

Unit Resources:

• 
  Physical Facilities
  

• Learning Resources and Technology

Utah. Additionally, Dixie Regional Medical Center has a medical library that is available to Dixie State College students.

• Community Connections:

• 
  The Nursing Advisory Committee in made up of employers in local and regional health care facilities served through educational programs offered by Dixie State College nursing program. Advisory Committee members interpret the needs of employers, make suggestions for program improvement, and share information about the healthcare workplace.
  
• 
  Intermountain Healthcare provides the majority of clinical learning experiences for ADN and BSN programs. It also participates in joint appointments for faculty as needed. The Dean of Nursing and Allied Health is a member of the Intermountain Healthcare Deans Council that meets to discuss congruence between nursing program curricula and nursing practice as well as strengthening of clinical connections.
  
• 
  Community groups and other healthcare facilities provide clinical and service-learning experiences for ADN and BSN students such as the Southwest Department of Public Health Flu Shootout in which ADN and BSN students participate.
  
• 
  The ADN and BSN programs provide benefit to its partnerships including but not limited to fulfilling community need for associate and baccalaureate trained nurses through workforce development; making available Taylor Health Sciences Center space for meetings, conferences, in-services, training, and education; providing students for service opportunities at community facilities and organizations; and enriching the community and individual students by fostering lifelong learning.
  

• Program Strengths and Limiting Factors:

• 
  Strengths
  
  • 
    Clear and comprehensive mission and philosophy that informs the curriculum, teaching/learning activities, and program outcomes
    
  • 
    Community partnerships
    
  • 
    Dedicated, hard-working faculty and staff
    
  • 
    Improved college support for online/distance teaching and learning
    
  • 
    College retention, tenure, and promotion policy that supports faculty development
    
  • 
    Beautiful physical facility with adequate office and supporting space
    
  • 
    Student commitment to being successful
    
  • 
    High ADN program completion rates
    
  • 
    High program satisfaction among graduates
    

• Areas Needing Development

  • 
    Less than desired BSN program completion rates
    
  • 
    Progress in using the systematic plan of evaluation for continuous program improvement
    
  • 
    Sustainability of NCLEX-RN® licensure exam pass rates
    
  • 
    Continuing faculty development in instructional design and online teaching/learning modalities
    
  • 
    Number of full-time faculty for faster completion to BSN degree
    
  • 
    Increase numbers of ADN program graduates entering BSN program
    
  • 
    Program response to Institute of Medicine goals for nursing education
    
  • 
    Succession planning for Dean of Nursing and Allied Health retirement
    

• Plans for the Future:

• 
  Creation of a culture of excellence in establishing faculty development and retention as a program priority
  
• 
  Request for addition of one full-time faculty position
  
• 
  Encouragement and support for faculty to achieve doctorate degrees and NLN nurse education certification
  
• 
  Examine and institute strategies to increase BSN program enrollment and completion
  
• 
  Enlist campus and outside resources for continuous quality improvement of online course instructional design and effectiveness
  
• 
  Decrease time to degree in BSN program
  
• 
  Develop 3 to 5 year strategic plan consistent with DSC transition to a university
  

Description:

Unit Mission and Values:

• 
  “DSC’s mission of offering certificate programs that meet the needs of students, the community, and the
  

• 
  “DSC has an ongoing commitment to its community college role, which includes transfer education, career and technical education, customized training for employers, developmental education, and strong student services.”
  
• 
  “DSC will cooperate with the local community, region, and state to identify and meet the demands of business and industry.”
  

Additionally, program goals and objectives connect to the Dixie State College three core themes.

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

faculty member. She provides classroom instruction as well as supervision in the clinical setting and has taught the course for several years

• 
  Barbara Sperry, Secretary
  
• 
  Carol Thiel, Laboratory Manager
  
• 
  Chris Gifford, Advisor
  

Courses and Programs Offered:

Assessment and Effectiveness:

1. 
   Function effectively as entry-level phlebotomists.
   
2. 
   Apply proper patient identification procedures.
   
3. 
   Obtain blood from a vein or capillary using various methods in patients across the lifespan.
   
4. 
   Properly handle and label specimens.
   
5. 
   Follow safety and infection control procedures for protection of patients, self, and others.
   
6. 
   Provide considered and respectful care of patients by complying with patient rights.
   
7. 
   Utilize effective communication techniques with patients and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
   
8. 
   Follow HIPAA guidelines for the protection of patient confidentiality.
   

Other indicators for program assessment will include student evaluations of teaching, completion rates, employment rates, and graduate/employer satisfaction.

Major Accomplishments and Changes:

Unit Resources:

• 
  Physical Resources
  

• Learning Resources and Technology

• Fiscal Resources

• Program Strengths and Limiting Factors:

  • 
    Strengths
    
    • 
      Community clinical learning experiences
      
    • 
      Beautiful physical facility with adequate office and supporting space
      
    • 
      Experientially well-qualified instructor
      
    • 
      Excellent program completion rates
      

• Areas Needing Development

  • 
    Progress in using an assessment plan of evaluation for continuous program improvement
    
  • 
    Inability to fulfill student demand during some semesters
    

• Plans for the Future:

  • 
    Develop and maintain systematic plan of evaluation
    
  • 
    Mentoring of course instructor in program assessment planning and evaluation
    
  • 
    Add additional sections as budget allows to meet student demand
    

Description, Mission and Values:

Dixie State College of Utah’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program exists to prepare students to become physical therapy care providers exhibiting integrity, skill, and caring. The program emphasizes excellence in human interaction, technical skills, critical reasoning, and life-long learning. The program mission and goals in their entirety can be found at http://www.dixie.edu/health/pta_program_mission_and_goals.php

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

Courses and programs offered:

Successful students graduate as a cohort after 6 total semesters of coursework and clinical education and are then eligible to take the state board examination leading toward licensure to practice as physical therapist assistants.

Program courses can be found at http://www.dixie.edu/health/physical_therapist_assistant/courses.php

Assessment and Effectiveness:

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Dixie State College of Utah began with need and has now been fleshed out, literally, with students, faculty, and staff. The program is new and will continue to develop and refine its endeavors to provide quality education to its students. The assessment process is a major contributor to this refinement.

Other stakeholders include the Advisory Committee who has given input on equipment purchases, including brands commonly used in the area. Committee members have suggested subject areas for inclusion in courses and have functioned as guest speakers in the classroom and lab, thus directly influencing the education of program students. The Committee has provided input on the utilization of PTAs in the area who have been advocates for the program in their organizations.

The formal assessment process, as with the program itself, is in the early, formative stage. The groundwork has been laid with the assessment notebook, a method of recording, reinforcing, and guiding the process of continual quality improvement. The notebook has been created with the assessment criteria heading each section. Immediately following is the following information: Goal, Responsible Person, Timeline, Data Collection Method, and Results/Actions and the Use of the Results. Each of these subcategories is then addressed with supportive evidence of compliance as applicable. The notebook will be made available to the on-site review team.

Major Changes and Significant Trends:

Student enrollment reached its maximum (16) beginning with the fall 2011 term. Prior to that, the first cohort of program students was numbered at 12, the second at 10 individuals. It is expected that enrollment will continue at maximum admissions in subsequent years due to the achievement of accreditation.

Department Resources, Strengths, and Limiting Factors:

• 
  Personnel – The PTA Program has two full-time faculty that are responsible for admissions, administration, and all course and clinical instruction. There is a need for a lab assistant. This has been stated on course evaluations with a student number of 10-12 and the need becomes increasingly apparent with student enrollments approaching 16.
  
• 
  Student support – Student enrollment, as stated above, has increased with the 2011/2012 cohort and is expected to reach its maximum in subsequent years with the attainment of accreditation.
  
• 
  Facilities and equipment – Facilities are a strong point with the program housed at the Russell C. Taylor Health Science Center. The program classroom/lab is stretched to the maximum with student enrollment at 16 – there would be no room for a higher number. Some equipment needs to be increased – e.g. the number of ultrasound/electrical stimulation units is not sufficient for a class of 12 or more students.
  
• 
  Technology – Meets and exceeds the instructional needs at this time.
  
• 
  Institutional support – Has been excellent through the establishment and development of the PTA Program.
  

Plans for the Future:

Department: Respiratory Therapy

Unit Governance, Leadership, and Faculty:

This program is taught and managed by two full-time faculty (Program Director and Director of Clinical Education) and supported by ¼ of a ½-time secretary (the program shares a 0.50 FTE secretary with three other allied health programs). The Program Director has been a member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (2009-2011), the Faculty Excellence Committee (2008-2012), and the Dixie Forum Committee (2008-2009). Both faculty have served on program selection committees and participated in department grievance committees and ad hoc committees as requested by the Dean.

Courses and programs offered:

Respiratory therapists (licensed in Utah as Respiratory Care Practitioners) provide direct patient care to a wide variety of patients with disorders or injuries that affect the cardiorespiratory system. These therapies are provided to patients who range from premature infants to the elderly, and are delivered in the acute care [hospital] setting (including neonatal, adult, cardiac, and neurologic intensive care units), home care, and rehabilitative or extended care facilities. The respiratory therapist works closely with physicians and other members of the health care team to evaluate and treat patients with acute or chronic respiratory or cardiopulmonary conditions, diseases, disorders, or injuries. Although the therapist works under the general supervision of a physician, there are many circumstances in which the therapist must be able to exercise independent judgment and perform emergency procedures. The minimum entry level preparation into respiratory therapy is an Associate Degree, with many institutions developing a baccalaureate degree to further develop advanced clinical, management, and leadership skills.

Curricular requirements for a respiratory therapy program are determined by the professional accrediting agency, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care [CoARC]. Graduates of accredited programs are eligible to obtain a credential and become licensed to practice respiratory care. The national standard for licensure of respiratory therapists is the C.R.T. or R.R.T. credential and these credentials establish reciprocity among all states currently requiring licensure in the U.S. The National Board for Respiratory Care [N.B.R.C.] establishes the content of credentialing examinations based upon a 5-year cycle of evaluating current practice and revising the examinations to reflect this. Licensure and credentialing are linked by NBRC policy requiring practitioners to maintain current knowledge in the field by renewing their credential every 5 years.

Assessment and Effectiveness:

Graduate performance on national credentialing examinations and their subsequent employment in the field of respiratory care are the primary indicators of the program having achieved student learning. The DSC program graduates have exceeded national performance on these examinations in every category, and 100% of the first graduating class (13) is currently employed in the field. The second cohort will graduate in December, 2011. The following table provides the outcomes measured by the program and demonstrate the program effectiveness:

Major Changes and Significant Trends:

As a new program, Respiratory Therapy does not have a five-year history, but its applicant pool has been very robust. The program is currently approved by CoARC to admit up to 16 students/year but the class size is limited due to the reduction in local employment opportunities associated with the national economic climate. The program has admitted classes of 14, 12, and 12 for its first three cohorts and has had 30+ applicants for each selection cycle. The demographics of the national healthcare manpower market are such that jobs are currently available for graduates who are willing to relocate and it is anticipated that practitioners who have delayed retirement will begin to

leave the workforce in greater numbers over the next five years. As this occurs, the program will increase enrollments to the approved maximum number of students/cohort.

Department Resources, Strengths, and Limiting Factors:

As an integral part of the programmatic accreditation by CoARC, comprehensive resource assessment occurs every year. This assessment includes feedback from students, faculty, and a community Advisory Committee. The program recently underwent its accreditation site review and all resources were scrutinized with no deficiencies noted. Program faculty are well-prepared, the college and program provide appropriate student support services, the facilities and equipment are exceptional and exceed accreditation standards. The program has appropriate technologic and institutional support to continue to provide quality education for our students.

Plans for the Future:

The program is satisfied that the current curriculum meets national standards; however, the faculty continually strive to incorporate new technology and knowledge that is being developed in the medical sector. The development of a baccalaureate degree, with an emphasis in their professional education, is the next strategic goal and the logical progression of the program’s growth.