Strategy Submission

Strategy Overview Whether in the educational (i.e. classroom or clinical pre-/post-conference discussion), or work-place (i.e. staff development exercise) settings, the QSEN competencies provide an ideal framework to promote opportunities for analysis, reflective thought, and discussion. In the case of this scenario, the lead characters (a 43 year-old transgendered patient) and two nurses working in an inpatient medical setting exchange robust dialogue as they engage in conflict framed by a lack of knowledge of basic, evidence-based care practices for transgendered patients. Serious breaches in therapeutic communication, patient rights, and basic dignity lead to an unfortunate, yet highly avoidable outcome. Finding themselves in an exchange that is spiraling out of control, the two nurse characters fail to engage in effective teamwork-collaboration to seize any number of opportunities to de-escalate a volatile situation that ultimately results in a suicidal act by the patient, whose psychiatric history was grossly minimized. Although many nurses may have professionalism—and basic common courtesy—in caring for transgendered patients Nurse Eric and Nurse Tina must now face the consequences of their actions. This scenario thus focuses on promoting critical thinking and reflective thought to prevent such a highly dangerous scenario from reoccurring. The mechanics of this role play provide opportunities to engage in a role-play bounded by several QSEN competencies (Patient-Centered Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Safety, and Teamwork/collaboration) in that: o Questions for group discussion are strategically inserted at the end of the case study and are intended to be discussed—with corresponding instructor/peer feedback—in a synchronous manner. o Whether in the classroom or clinical setting, learners should be granted no prior access to the scenario but given an approximately one-half hour to read it independently, with peer interaction followed by instructor-facilitated discussion immediately following. At the discretion of the instructor or facilitator, the character descriptions can be distributed to those participants who will portray the characters. o At the conclusion of the role-play, a written Reflective Journal assignment is distributed and should be completed on/or before a date determined by the facilitator. As it is completed asynchronously, the Reflective Journal gives students a more discrete format to present the thoughts they might not feel comfortable sharing in a public forum and will return to them with written instructor feedback.