Writing Exemplars
Presentation Notes: Nurse Action Days (2006)
Christine M. Pacini, PhD, RN
Director, Center for Professional Development,
Research and Innovation
Objectives
Define the characteristics of an exemplar.
Differentiate an exemplar from a case study.
Identify strategies for exemplar development.
Engage in the process of sharing clinical stories.
Introduction - Definitions
An exemplar is a story of a real patient that is told in order to
illustrate an RN’
RN’s practice. The exemplar is written in the first
person. It describes in detail a particular clinical situation that
includes the nurse’
nurse’s thoughts, feelings, intentions, actions, critical
thinking, and decision-making process.
UMHS Professional Development Framework Website
An exemplar is “a story about your clinical practice that conveys
something memorable, or something you remember as
important, significant, or that comes to mind periodically.”
periodically.” It is “a
story about a patient that conveys something you remember as
important or significant and illustrates your clinical practice.”
practice.”
Patricia Hooper-Kyriakidis, 2003
Storytelling
The word “story”
story” derives from the Greek and means knowing,
knowledge and wisdom.
Stories help people gain knowledge about various situations and
values.
The art of storytelling is focused on a desire to connect with
listeners in a meaningful and purposeful way, regardless of the
audience composition/size.
One of the best ways to share values is by telling a story that is an
example of the professed values.
A story connects the storyteller with the listeners/readers because
the human experience related is common to us all. Yoder-Wise &
Kowalski, 2003
What is a Story?
An account of a concern in which the storyteller shares what
matters to THEM in the situation.
It is an account of what they understand and believe to be
important, relevant, and worth talking about.
This study source was downloaded by 100000861168648 from CourseHero.com on 03-13-2023 14:37:51 GMT -05:00
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, – One’
One’s skill of involvement or level of engagement make it possible to have
stories
– The storyteller reports their thoughts, feelings, and experiential knowledge of an
event
What Constitutes an Exemplar?
A situation in which you feel your intervention really made a
difference in patient outcome either directly (w/ patient or family
member) or indirectly (by helping other staff members).
A clinical situation that stands out as the quintessence of nursing.
A clinical situation:
– That taught you something new
– That provided new understandings and changed your practice
– Where you clearly made a difference
– That made you notice something new
– That opened up new ways of helping or new lines of inquiry
A clinical situation that was particularly demanding
An incident that went unusually well
An incident that was very ordinary and typical, yet memorable
A situation in which there was a breakdown (things did not go well)
Exemplars may also:
Recount instances of early warning signs that you recognize before
they could be validated by objective data
Demonstrate new clinical knowledge gained through working
with a new procedure, new illness, or new technology
Recount examples of healing relationships
Include examples of expert coaching of a patient in a difficult
situation or of colleagues in a clinical situation
Exemplars are NOT Case
Studies Exemplars ARE:
A written account as a narrative or story that reflects current
practice*.
Written in everyday language, not with a theoretical (e.g., nursing
diagnosis) approach.
Focused on clinical work – aspects or domains of practice:
– Clinical judgment, wisdom, thinking & reasoning
– Therapeutic relationships; caring practice
– Grasp of a situation; ability to “see”
see” a problem
– Actions in a situation; performance; sense of responsibility
– Response to changing situations; anticipatory skills
– Engagement with the patient/family; skill of involvement
– Agency; advocacy; response to diversity
– Collaboration; teamwork
– Clinical inquiry; innovation
This study source was downloaded by 100000861168648 from CourseHero.com on 03-13-2023 14:37:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/17089955/2/
Presentation Notes: Nurse Action Days (2006)
Christine M. Pacini, PhD, RN
Director, Center for Professional Development,
Research and Innovation
Objectives
Define the characteristics of an exemplar.
Differentiate an exemplar from a case study.
Identify strategies for exemplar development.
Engage in the process of sharing clinical stories.
Introduction - Definitions
An exemplar is a story of a real patient that is told in order to
illustrate an RN’
RN’s practice. The exemplar is written in the first
person. It describes in detail a particular clinical situation that
includes the nurse’
nurse’s thoughts, feelings, intentions, actions, critical
thinking, and decision-making process.
UMHS Professional Development Framework Website
An exemplar is “a story about your clinical practice that conveys
something memorable, or something you remember as
important, significant, or that comes to mind periodically.”
periodically.” It is “a
story about a patient that conveys something you remember as
important or significant and illustrates your clinical practice.”
practice.”
Patricia Hooper-Kyriakidis, 2003
Storytelling
The word “story”
story” derives from the Greek and means knowing,
knowledge and wisdom.
Stories help people gain knowledge about various situations and
values.
The art of storytelling is focused on a desire to connect with
listeners in a meaningful and purposeful way, regardless of the
audience composition/size.
One of the best ways to share values is by telling a story that is an
example of the professed values.
A story connects the storyteller with the listeners/readers because
the human experience related is common to us all. Yoder-Wise &
Kowalski, 2003
What is a Story?
An account of a concern in which the storyteller shares what
matters to THEM in the situation.
It is an account of what they understand and believe to be
important, relevant, and worth talking about.
This study source was downloaded by 100000861168648 from CourseHero.com on 03-13-2023 14:37:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/17089955/2/
, – One’
One’s skill of involvement or level of engagement make it possible to have
stories
– The storyteller reports their thoughts, feelings, and experiential knowledge of an
event
What Constitutes an Exemplar?
A situation in which you feel your intervention really made a
difference in patient outcome either directly (w/ patient or family
member) or indirectly (by helping other staff members).
A clinical situation that stands out as the quintessence of nursing.
A clinical situation:
– That taught you something new
– That provided new understandings and changed your practice
– Where you clearly made a difference
– That made you notice something new
– That opened up new ways of helping or new lines of inquiry
A clinical situation that was particularly demanding
An incident that went unusually well
An incident that was very ordinary and typical, yet memorable
A situation in which there was a breakdown (things did not go well)
Exemplars may also:
Recount instances of early warning signs that you recognize before
they could be validated by objective data
Demonstrate new clinical knowledge gained through working
with a new procedure, new illness, or new technology
Recount examples of healing relationships
Include examples of expert coaching of a patient in a difficult
situation or of colleagues in a clinical situation
Exemplars are NOT Case
Studies Exemplars ARE:
A written account as a narrative or story that reflects current
practice*.
Written in everyday language, not with a theoretical (e.g., nursing
diagnosis) approach.
Focused on clinical work – aspects or domains of practice:
– Clinical judgment, wisdom, thinking & reasoning
– Therapeutic relationships; caring practice
– Grasp of a situation; ability to “see”
see” a problem
– Actions in a situation; performance; sense of responsibility
– Response to changing situations; anticipatory skills
– Engagement with the patient/family; skill of involvement
– Agency; advocacy; response to diversity
– Collaboration; teamwork
– Clinical inquiry; innovation
This study source was downloaded by 100000861168648 from CourseHero.com on 03-13-2023 14:37:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/17089955/2/
