Differentiated Essentials Curriculum (DECs) has its own unique history. The practice of Nursing in Texas runs with a range of practice scale based on learning and training from the Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to the doctoral trained and Registered Nurse (RN). The latter is attributed to the fact that demand for more nurses has been rising over the past few decades (Ferguson, 2007).
Its premier history can be traced back from 2000 when the Board of Nurse Examiner directed the Advisory committee on Education to evaluate and improve the inventive competence manuscript on 20th January, 2000.
This committee formed a sub committee comprising of six nurses who would represent Diploma, ADN and BSN categories. They brought unique and positive contribution to the entire program (Vallano, 2008). They were chosen to bring such contributions to the committee.
The charged subcommittee met on 9th August, 2000 and begun their tasks as was earlier directed. They evaluated two important documents namely ‘Essentials of Baccalaureate Education’ as well as the ‘Educational Competencies for Graduates of Associate Degree Nursing Programs’.
Their findings were that the fourteen competencies in the original document were in the same line with these two documents. They also realized that nursing schools had already used the fourteen core competencies in various ways in a period of more than seven years. Besides, the schools had revised their course objectives and statements. In 2002, this revised document was approved and updated.
The purpose of DECs project was to offer new directions to nursing training programs for curriculum progress. This purpose played an important role in preparing graduates effectively in order to offer good, proficient and concerned care. The project was set to accomplish its purpose because nursing is widely known as a patient- oriented career (Sacks, 2003).
Besides, the project was slated to run from 2000 to 2010 when the executive gave their updated report. In addition, the personnel competencies involved in this Nursing Workshop included Member of the Profession, Provider of Patient-Centered Care, Patient Safety Advocate and Member of the Health Care Team. These premises provide good management in individual’s efforts (Rigolosi, 2005).
The project is currently organized in such a way that there is clear cut difference of what goes on there. It has evaluated all the nursing programs for efficiency. Its current status is working as a bridge and has helped many nurses to realize that nursing is more of a service industry (Turner, 2007).
Its management system is undoubtedly good since it has moved from strategic planning to the level of implementations and proper supervision of its organizational details. The project will be implemented by following the set down procedures and practice in all levels.
It is not enough to put in place strategic planning without a comprehensive implementation phase. Good management usually practices constant and complete responsibility to implement its plans and objectives (Zimmermann, 2002).
On a final note, it is also profound to note that this project has personally and positively impacted me as a future nursing educator in Texas.
References
Ferguson, J.G. (2007). What Can I Do Now? Nursing. New York: InfoBase Publishing.
Rigolosi, E. (2005). Management and Leadership in Nursing. New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
Sacks, T. (2003). Careers in Nursing. New York: The McGraw-Hills Companies Inc.
Turner, S. (2007). The Nursing Career Planning Guide. Ontario: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Vallano, A. (2008). Your Career in Nursing: Manage Your Future in the Changing World of Healthcare. New York: Kaplan Publishing.
Zimmermann, P. (2002). Nursing Management Secrets. Philadelphia: Hanley & Belfus, Inc.