Scaffolding Case Studies: Advancing Competency-Based Nurse Practitioner Education
Ainslie, Marcy ; Hebert, Danielle ; Miller, Joseph ; Griffith, Patricia B ; Moore, Jeanne ; Luke, Sheba ; Venzke, Margaret Hadro
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Abstract
Background: Nursing education is transitioning to competency-based education (CBE). A key principle of CBE is scaffolding curricula from simple to complex to facilitate student learning.
Problem: There is no standardized method of scaffolding nurse practitioner (NP) curricula.
Approach: A workgroup of NP educators analyzed visit types-such as wellness, acute, chronic, and transition of care visits-to determine the appropriate placement of case scenarios for early, middle, or late-stage learners. Each case was then aligned with the educational preparation requirements for specific NP populations to identify which populations would benefit most from the scenario.
Outcomes: A structured classification system, using predefined criteria, was developed to scaffold case scenarios in NP education. This systematic arrangement supports the implementation of CBE and facilitates learning.
Conclusions: The scaffolding model can be used with a variety of learning resources and provides a standardized method for scaling complexity within NP curricula.
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Ainslie M, Hebert D, Miller J, Griffith PB, Moore J, Luke S, Venzke MH. Scaffolding Case Studies: Advancing Competency-Based Nurse Practitioner Education. Nurse Educ. 2025 Jul-Aug 01;50(4):179-182. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001825. Epub 2025 Jan 27. PMID: 40540423.