GETTING STARTED IN TEACHING FOR
NURSING AND THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
1ST EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JUDITH A. HALSTEAD;
DIANE M. BILLINGS
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Part 1 — Introduction to curriculum development
Stem
A new graduate-entry nursing program is designing its first
semester. As the curriculum lead, you must prioritize which
course-level learning outcomes to develop first so the program
aligns with institutional mission, regulatory requirements, and
graduate competencies. Which approach best balances external
Page | 1
,requirements with internal program aims during initial outcome
development?
A. Draft granular weekly learning objectives first, then
aggregate them to program outcomes.
B. Use a backward design beginning with program-level
competencies, align assessments, then sequence courses.
C. Adopt an existing program’s outcomes verbatim to ensure
regulatory compliance.
D. Start with faculty-selected topics based on expertise and
derive outcomes afterward.
Correct answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): Backward design—beginning with program-level
competencies, then aligning assessments and course content—
ensures curriculum coherence, accountability to external
standards, and clear linkage from outcomes to instruction.
Halstead & Billings emphasize outcome-driven design to align
curriculum with mission and competency expectations. This
method supports constructive alignment and meaningful
assessment selection.
A: Writing week-by-week objectives before defining program
outcomes risks misalignment and fragmentation; curriculum
should be outcome-led, not activity-led.
C: Copying outcomes verbatim ignores local context, mission,
and stakeholder needs; external models must be adapted.
Page | 2
,D: Starting with faculty interests produces potential gaps in
required competencies and weak accountability to regulatory
and institutional expectations.
Teaching point
Begin curriculum design with program competencies; align
assessment and instruction afterward.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Teaching for Nursing and the Health Professions (1st Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Part 1 — Faculty role and responsibilities in curriculum
development
Stem
During a curriculum review, clinical faculty resist reducing
content volume despite documented student overload and
failure to meet higher-order outcomes. As chair, which strategy
best addresses faculty concerns while advancing evidence-
based curricular trimming?
A. Mandate content reduction across courses uniformly to
reduce workload.
B. Facilitate faculty workshops to map content to outcomes and
identify redundancies.
C. Replace summative exams with fewer low-stakes quizzes to
Page | 3
, reduce perceived content demands.
D. Leave the curriculum unchanged to respect faculty
autonomy.
Correct answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): Facilitating workshops to map content to outcomes
engages faculty in evidence-based decision making, reveals
redundancies, and builds ownership of curriculum change—
aligning with faculty responsibility for curriculum stewardship.
Halstead & Billings emphasize faculty engagement and data-
driven curriculum revision.
A: Mandating uniform cuts ignores disciplinary nuance and
undermines faculty engagement, risking token compliance
rather than sustainable change.
C: Altering assessment format without addressing content
alignment fails to resolve curricular overload and may obscure
true competency attainment.
D: Maintaining the status quo overlooks learner outcomes and
quality improvement obligations; faculty autonomy must be
balanced with accountability.
Teaching point
Use collaborative outcome-mapping to reduce redundancy and
secure faculty buy-in.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Page | 4
NURSING AND THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
1ST EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JUDITH A. HALSTEAD;
DIANE M. BILLINGS
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Part 1 — Introduction to curriculum development
Stem
A new graduate-entry nursing program is designing its first
semester. As the curriculum lead, you must prioritize which
course-level learning outcomes to develop first so the program
aligns with institutional mission, regulatory requirements, and
graduate competencies. Which approach best balances external
Page | 1
,requirements with internal program aims during initial outcome
development?
A. Draft granular weekly learning objectives first, then
aggregate them to program outcomes.
B. Use a backward design beginning with program-level
competencies, align assessments, then sequence courses.
C. Adopt an existing program’s outcomes verbatim to ensure
regulatory compliance.
D. Start with faculty-selected topics based on expertise and
derive outcomes afterward.
Correct answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): Backward design—beginning with program-level
competencies, then aligning assessments and course content—
ensures curriculum coherence, accountability to external
standards, and clear linkage from outcomes to instruction.
Halstead & Billings emphasize outcome-driven design to align
curriculum with mission and competency expectations. This
method supports constructive alignment and meaningful
assessment selection.
A: Writing week-by-week objectives before defining program
outcomes risks misalignment and fragmentation; curriculum
should be outcome-led, not activity-led.
C: Copying outcomes verbatim ignores local context, mission,
and stakeholder needs; external models must be adapted.
Page | 2
,D: Starting with faculty interests produces potential gaps in
required competencies and weak accountability to regulatory
and institutional expectations.
Teaching point
Begin curriculum design with program competencies; align
assessment and instruction afterward.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Teaching for Nursing and the Health Professions (1st Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Part 1 — Faculty role and responsibilities in curriculum
development
Stem
During a curriculum review, clinical faculty resist reducing
content volume despite documented student overload and
failure to meet higher-order outcomes. As chair, which strategy
best addresses faculty concerns while advancing evidence-
based curricular trimming?
A. Mandate content reduction across courses uniformly to
reduce workload.
B. Facilitate faculty workshops to map content to outcomes and
identify redundancies.
C. Replace summative exams with fewer low-stakes quizzes to
Page | 3
, reduce perceived content demands.
D. Leave the curriculum unchanged to respect faculty
autonomy.
Correct answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): Facilitating workshops to map content to outcomes
engages faculty in evidence-based decision making, reveals
redundancies, and builds ownership of curriculum change—
aligning with faculty responsibility for curriculum stewardship.
Halstead & Billings emphasize faculty engagement and data-
driven curriculum revision.
A: Mandating uniform cuts ignores disciplinary nuance and
undermines faculty engagement, risking token compliance
rather than sustainable change.
C: Altering assessment format without addressing content
alignment fails to resolve curricular overload and may obscure
true competency attainment.
D: Maintaining the status quo overlooks learner outcomes and
quality improvement obligations; faculty autonomy must be
balanced with accountability.
Teaching point
Use collaborative outcome-mapping to reduce redundancy and
secure faculty buy-in.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Page | 4
