“The Capriotti pathophysiology book provides the right amount of detail to prepare my students for practice. The students find it readable and easy to understand.” Casey Norris, DNP, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC Clinical Associate Professor University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dr. Norris teaches Pathophysiology and Pediatrics in the BSN, ABSN, and Scholars Program at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The traditional BSN and Scholars Program has just over 200 students; the ABSN has around 60. Students in the Scholars Program graduate a semester early with the opportunity to sign a three-year contract to work at a local hospital. The UT Knoxville School of Nursing attracts students from the region as well as from across the United States. While students in the BSN and Scholar Programs tend to be recent high school graduates, students in the ABSN program are non-traditional students, seeking their second or third careers. The challenge: Finding a pathophysiology book that students will read and understand In 2018, Dr. Norris was teaching pathophysiology at University of Alabama, Huntsville. “We were using a higher-level book, and students weren’t reading it. It was too advanced for our program, and difficult for students to understand.” She also notes that 10% or more of students were failing the course. “This not only led us to look for a new book, but it also led us to switch up how we were teaching the program, moving from lecture to a more active learning approach.” The solution: Davis Advantage for Pathophysiology Dr. Norris chose Davis Advantage for Pathophysiology by Theresa Capriotti as their new pathophysiology book because she found it to be easier to read and understand. In addition, the University of Alabama, Huntsville’s program was concept- based, and Dr. Norris feels that Capriotti is much better aligned with a concept-based curriculum. “My students also liked Capriotti a lot better. They say that it’s much easier for them to comprehend the material.” Dr. Norris feels that Capriotti provides just the right amount of detail to prepare her students for practice. “Students don’t need to know every detail of pathophysiology to become a basic, bedside nurse. Capriotti provides the strong foundation in pathophysiology that most nurses will need for practice.” When Dr. Norris came to UT Knoxville in 2021, she introduced Capriotti to their nursing program. “When I arrived here, the program was using a medical-surgical book for both pathophysiology and med-surg. Students felt like they weren’t getting enough pathophysiology, so we added Capriotti.” Dr. Norris uses the book and the Davis Advantage online resources in her course. “The online resources support the book well and the platform is easy to use.” She sets up activities in their Canvas LMS to address different learning styles. Students can choose to complete reading assignments, videos, and/or pre-recorded lectures prior to coming to class. In class, she uses an active learning approach to keep the students engaged. “I may lecture on some of the more difficult topics, but we mainly focus on videos, questions, and case studies in the classroom.” Dr. Norris also assigns quizzes from Davis Advantage as part of the students’ grade. “I select 5-10 questions per chapter and give them a week to complete the quiz. I open it up right after class and encourage them to start on the quizzes right away so they will stay in the material.”
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