NURS FPX 6108 Assessment 3 Curriculum Theory, Framework, and Models

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX6108 Curriculum Overview: Design, Develop and Evaluate

Prof. Name

Date

Description of the Selected Health Care Curriculum

The selected curriculum is the four-week nurse orientation program developed for St. Mary’s Home. This 231-bed long-term care facility provides skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and dementia care for older adults. This curriculum prepares newly hired nurses to deliver safe, person-centered, and culturally responsive care within a complex geriatric environment. The program integrates classroom instruction, online learning, simulation-based skills labs, and precepted clinical shifts to ensure competency and confidence in both technical and interpersonal aspects of care.

The curriculum’s foundation is guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) long-term care regulations, ensuring alignment with professional and legal expectations (Unruh et al., 2025). It emphasizes geriatric competencies, such as safe polypharmacy management, dementia-specific communication, fall prevention, and wound care.

The program also draws on adult learning theory (Knowles), emphasizing experiential learning and reflection, as well as Benner’s Novice to Expert model, which frames the progression of a nursing novice to a competent practitioner through guided practice (Fındık, 2024). Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory supports the hands-on learning design, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving through real-life scenarios (Haritha & Rao, 2024). By incorporating evidence-based frameworks and aligning with the organization’s mission of compassionate, person-centered care, this orientation curriculum ensures that nurses develop the clinical expertise, empathy, and ethical awareness needed to thrive in long-term care settings.

Fundamental Organizing Design and Theoretical Framework

The St. Mary’s Home nurse orientation curriculum follows a competency-based approach, organizing learning around the development of essential clinical, ethical, and interpersonal skills required for safe, person-centered geriatric care. Each module, ranging from regulatory compliance and infection control to dementia care and moral decision-making, is structured to build measurable competencies that align with professional standards and improve resident outcomes.

NURS FPX 6108 Assessment 3 Curriculum Theory, Framework, and Models

The curriculum is grounded in Benner’s Novice to Expert Model (1984) and Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (1980).

• Benner’s Model provides the structural foundation for progression, recognizing that new nurses begin as novices and advance toward competence through experiential learning, mentorship, and reflection. The use of preceptorship and skills demonstrations supports this developmental trajectory (Yu et al., 2024).
• Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory informs the instructional design by emphasizing self-directed learning, relevance, and experience-based engagement. Adult learners are encouraged to connect new knowledge with prior clinical experiences and apply it directly to real-world scenarios (Fındık, 2024).

Together, these frameworks guide the curriculum’s focus on gradual skill mastery, critical reflection, and professional growth. The competency-based structure ensures alignment with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice and CMS requirements (Unruh et al., 2025). This will promote both regulatory compliance and holistic, mission-driven care at St. Mary’s Home.

History and Major Concepts of the Selected Framework

The St. Mary’s Home nurse orientation curriculum is organized around Benner’s Novice to Expert Model and Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory, which together guide the curriculum’s structure and instructional approach.

Benner’s Novice to Expert Model, introduced in 1984, is based on the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition. Patricia Benner identified five levels of nursing proficiency—novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert—describing how nurses develop clinical judgment and confidence through experience and reflection. The model emphasizes experiential learning, mentorship, and contextual understanding as essential to professional growth (Yu et al., 2024). Within the St. Mary’s orientation, new nurses begin as novices, relying on clear rules and procedures while gradually advancing toward competence through precepted clinical shifts, case discussions, and reflective exercises. For example, nurses initially follow structured protocols for wound care or medication administration, but over time learn to anticipate resident needs and adapt interventions accordingly.

Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory, developed in the 1970s, emphasizes that adult learners are self-directed, bring prior experiences to learning, and are motivated by the opportunity for problem-solving. The St. Mary’s program incorporates these principles through interactive modules, simulation labs, and real-world case studies, allowing nurses to connect new concepts to their prior practice and apply them directly to resident care. For instance, when learning about dementia communication strategies, nurses engage in scenario-based learning that mirrors daily challenges in long-term care (Fındık, 2024). Together, these frameworks ensure that the curriculum promotes both competency development and lifelong learning, enabling nurses to provide safe, compassionate, and person-centered care in alignment with St. Mary’s mission.

Application of the Organizing Design and Theoretical Framework

The St. Mary’s Home nurse orientation curriculum demonstrates its competency-based design and integration of Benner’s Novice to Expert Model and Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory throughout its structure, teaching strategies, and evaluation methods. The competency-based design ensures that each module builds measurable skills and professional behaviors aligned with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Practice and long-term care regulations. Learning outcomes such as accurate documentation, safe medication administration, and effective communication serve as benchmarks for nurse competency and readiness for independent practice (Unruh et al., 2025).

Benner’s Model is evident in the program’s use of progressive learning experiences and preceptorship. New nurses begin as novices, focusing on fundamental tasks like infection control and documentation. As they gain experience through guided clinical practice and reflection, they move toward competence, managing complex resident cases and collaborating effectively with interdisciplinary teams. This staged development mirrors Benner’s framework of skill acquisition through experience and mentorship (Brown, 2025).

NURS FPX 6108 Assessment 3 Curriculum Theory, Framework, and Models

Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory is reflected in the curriculum’s emphasis on active participation, relevance, and self-directed learning. The program incorporates simulation labs, case studies, and reflective journaling, allowing nurses to apply prior knowledge and analyze real-world scenarios. For example, during dementia care training, nurses engage in role-play exercises that enhance empathy and problem-solving—key elements of experiential adult learning (Fındık, 2024). By combining these approaches, the curriculum fosters clinical proficiency, confidence, and critical thinking, ensuring nurses deliver compassionate, evidence-based care consistent with St. Mary’s mission and professional standards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the St. Mary’s Home nurse orientation curriculum effectively integrates a competency-based design with Benner’s Novice to Expert Model and Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory to promote professional growth and clinical excellence. The program ensures that new nurses gain both technical proficiency and compassionate, person-centered care skills essential for long-term care practice. Through experiential learning, mentorship, and reflection, nurses develop confidence and critical thinking skills that align with organizational and professional standards. This structured approach strengthens workforce readiness, retention, and resident outcomes. Overall, the curriculum promotes a culture of continuous learning and delivers high-quality, ethical care.

References

Fındık, L. Y. (2025). Adult Learning Theories. In Exploring Adult Education Through Learning Theory (pp. 29-54). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-5812-2.ch002 

Brown, C. K. (2025). Novice to expert nursing theorist: Patricia Benner. The Art of Nursing: Humanizing Healthcare. https://open.ocolearnok.org/artofnursing/chapter/chapter-4-skill-of-involvement/ 

Haritha, G., & Rao, R. (2024). A holistic approach to professional development: Integrating Kolb’s experiential learning theory for soft skills mastery. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 415–424. https://journaleet.in/index.php/jeet/article/view/2426 

NURS FPX 6108 Assessment 3 Curriculum Theory, Framework, and Models

Unruh, M. A., Carney, J. K., Moreno, A., Sulmasy, L. S., Carney, J. K., Moreno, A., Arbaje, A., Atiq, O. T., Barrett, E. D., Bruera, E., Collamer, A. N., Deep, N. N., Dewey, C. M., Esbensen, K. L., Fellers, A. W., Fox, W. E., Holbrook, A. K., Jung, D., Karches, K. E., & Lyckholm, L. J. (2025). Optimizing ethical care, quality, and safety in long-term services and supports: A position paper from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/annals-24-03641 

Yu, H., Chen, Y., Wu, L., Wang, L., Lai, Y., & You, A. (2024). Construction and implement of hierarchical management system for specialist nurses based on Patricia Benner’s theory. Frontiers in Medicine, 11(11). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1472384