SUCCESS STORY CUSTOMER
How Dordt University successfully built a concept-based nursing curriculum with F.A. Davis
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“F.A. Davis’s books and resources don’t try to cover everything; they focus on the critical content that students need to become practice-ready nurses.” Melanie Wynja, BSN, MSN, DNP Professor of Nursing and Simulation Director Dordt University
Dr. Melanie Wynja is a Professor of Nursing at Dordt University’s BSN program. She brings more than 30 years of clinical experience spanning neurology, rural hospital care, occupational health, and mental health. Before joining Dordt, she held roles as a nursing instructor and simulation coordinator in LPN and ADN programs. Dr. Wynja is also a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator and has presented at conferences on local, state, national, and international levels. She joined Dordt University in 2017 and played a pivotal role in launching their prelicensure BSN program. Development of the BSN Program at Dordt University The BSN program at Dordt University was developed using a concept-based curriculum to foster critical thinking and clinical reasoning—skills essential for competent nursing practice. “ Our ‘north star’ for nursing education is to deliver a practice- ready nurse .” The goal is for students to begin thinking like nurses from the very first day. During the development phase, Dordt University evaluated books from numerous publishers. They ultimately selected F.A. Davis products because their resources best aligned with their concept-based approach and mission to train practice-ready nurses. “ We like the way F.A. Davis delivers the content. They focus on the most important exemplars that students need to become competent nurses. They don’t try to cover everything; one of the goals with a concept-based curriculum is to decrease content saturation, and we feel that the F.A. Davis’s books and online resources help students understand the key concepts to apply to any situation. ” She highlights the presentation of content, such as effective headings, tables, and bullet points, which emphasize the key points students must consider to become resourceful nurses. Melanie emphasizes that students are not expected to memorize every detail; instead, F.A. Davis’s materials guide them to the essential responsibilities of a nurse caring for patients. This approach supports the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning, enabling students to apply these skills at the bedside. Additionally, the vignettes, questions, and case studies provided in the materials encourage practical, real-world application of concepts. Melanie believes these features help students bridge the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. Implementing Davis Advantage in the Curriculum Melanie finds that F.A. Davis products are highly compatible with Dordt University’s concept-based curriculum. The resources are easy to tailor, and the online activities can be structured to support either a concept-based or systems-based model. When the program was launched, Concepts for Nursing Practice by Jean Giddens (Elsevier) was adopted for foundational concept content, while F.A. Davis products provided exemplars and practical application. Students are assigned conceptual readings from Giddens and related content from F.A. Davis books. Recognizing that some students do not always read assigned material or may not learn best through reading, Melanie relies on Davis Advantage Personalized Learning activities to prepare students for class. These activities are assigned beforehand, contributing to students’ grades and priming them for active engagement in the classroom. Melanie describes these as excellent activities that focus on the most crucial content. “ We have much more productive classroom discussions and activities because students come ready to participate. ” Clinical Judgment activities are also employed to ensure students can apply learned material, while Quizzing is used for exam preparation. Melanie values the quality and quantity of NCLEX-style questions and the rationales provided, which help students understand why their answers are correct or incorrect. Both Clinical Judgment activities and Quizzing count toward homework points. She also emphasizes that having such high-quality exercises already prepared saves a lot of time for faculty. Looking ahead, Melanie anticipates incorporating new Simulations from Davis Advantage, which she believes will further help students understand practical application. She appreciates the flexibility of Davis Advantage exercises, which can be
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“We have much more productive classroom discussions and activities because students come ready to participate.”
set up for points or completion, and the ability to create custom quizzes. Students can also practice and quiz themselves independently. The metrics available in Davis Advantage are especially beneficial for identifying students who may be struggling, as they reveal how much time students spend engaging with the program. Students See the Value in Davis Advantage During program evaluations, Melanie gathers feedback from her seniors and asks specifically about their experiences with Davis Advantage. The majority report that it has been instrumental in strengthening their clinical judgment. Many note that as they advance through their education, the value of the program becomes increasingly clear. What may be perceived as simple assignments in the early semesters are later recognized as foundational exercises—building blocks that foster critical- thinking skills essential for safe patient care and NCLEX preparation. Transition to the F.A. Davis Concepts Book The Dordt BSN program will be implementing F.A. Davis’s Nursing Concepts: A Practical Approach by Linda Caputi in the fall of 2026. The change is motivated by a desire for a more current perspective on nursing and relevance to today’s healthcare environment. Melanie values the book’s focus on the RN’s scope of practice, as well as specific sections on Prioritization, Resilience, and Clinical Judgment. She also highlights the book’s readability, engagement, and alignment with up-to-date evidence-based practices and references used in current clinical settings. Melanie believes this new resource offers a clearer picture of the skills nurses need to recognize and apply to develop sound clinical judgment. She anticipates using the Caputi book beyond introductory concepts due to its relevance and looks forward to integrating the accompanying Davis Advantage online resources to complement the existing core textbooks. Positive Partnership with F.A. Davis Melanie appreciates F.A. Davis’s commitment to developing high-quality books and online resources. She praises the accuracy and currency of content, especially in new editions that are updated with the latest best practices and references used in clinical practice. Melanie also commends the company’s outstanding customer service, noting the dedication and responsiveness of their Educational Consultant. She finds that student support is readily available, and F.A. Davis works closely with students to resolve specific issues. F.A. Davis Products in use at Dordt University § Davis Advantage for Medical Surgical Nursing: Making Connections to Practice by Janice J. Hoffman & Nancy J. Sullivan § Davis Advantage for Basic Nursing: Thinking, Doing, and Caring by Leslie S. Treas, Karen L. Barnett & Mable H. Smith § Davis Advantage for Townsend’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing by Karyn I. Morgan § Davis Advantage for Maternal-Child Nursing Care by Meredith J Scannell & Kristine Ruggiero § Calculating Drug Dosages: A Patient-Safe Approach to Nursing and Math by Sandra Luz Martinez de Castillo & Mary- anne Werner-McCullough § Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses by Cynthia A. Sanoski & April Hazard Vallerand
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About Dordt University Rooted in the Reformed Christian worldview, Dordt College was founded in 1955 in Sioux Center, Iowa and welcomes all students who are interested in a biblical, Christ-centered education. Today, as an accredited Christian liberal arts university, Dordt offers more than 40 majors and 12 pre-professional programs of study. The university has more than 100 full-time faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of 14:1. Dordt University was ranked the number one university in the nation for student engagement, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education’s College Rankings 2021. About F.A. Davis F. A. Davis is an independent, family-owned publisher of educational solutions for the Nursing and Health Science professions. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the city of its founding in 1879, the company is dedicated to developing teaching and learning products that meet the needs of nursing and health science students, educators, and practitioners. The breadth and depth of our digital, print, and online resources across disciplines and specialties reflect our commitment to listening to our customers and to developing innovative products empowered by the technology that is changing how students are learning, instructors are teaching, and professionals are practicing. F.A. Davis Named Top Workplace For successive years, F.A. Davis has been selected as a Top Workplace by The Philadelphia Inquirer , the region’s most prominent newspaper and news website and its President and Editor in Chief, Robert H. Craven, Jr., was honored with a special regional leadership award. For the second year, we earned national recognition from USA Today , a national newspaper and news broadcasting company. These awards celebrate the organizations that prioritize a people- centered culture and give employees a voice that enables them to meet today’s ever-evolving technological, social, and economic challenges…individual passions working toward shared success.
For more information, visit FADavis.com or contact us at Hello@FADavis.com.
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