Integrating Climate Change in the Curriculum: Using Instructional Design Methods to Create an Educational Innovation for Nurse Practitioners in a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

• Published in: Journal for nurse practitioners 2022-04, Vol.18 (4), p.424-428
• Main Authors: Keating, Stacen A., Vetter, Mary Jo, Klar, Robin Toft, Wright, Fay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Change agents; Climate change; Clinical decision making; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Curricula; Decision making; educator practice; Epidemiology; Graduate studies; Innovations; Leadership; nurse educator; nurse practitioner education; Nurse practitioners; Nurses; Nursing; nursing leadership; Pandemics; Physicians; Professional practice; Quality improvement; Vulnerability
• ISSN: 1555-4155; 1878-058X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2021.11.009

An applied epidemiology course for doctor of nursing practice students was revised to include a module on the impact of climate change on population health. The Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate (ADDIE) model of instructional design is a gold standard framework for creating course content and guided the module development. A nurse content expert discussed the environmental impacts of climate change on health using literature, actual clinical scenarios, and the application of epidemiologic data. Topics included safeguarding workers and vulnerable populations within the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Students posted reflections on their understanding of module content in response to structured prompts electronically in the learning management system for review by the faculty. Faculty evaluation of responses identified the need to further develop and integrate environmental epidemiology and climate change content more fully within the doctor of nursing practice curriculum. •A doctor of nursing practice (DNP)-applied epidemiology course was revised to integrate content on climate change and its impact on population health.•The Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate model of instructional design was chosen as a guide because it is the gold standard method of developing effective teaching and learning materials.•The climate change module included content to develop DNP student competencies in applying this important content in their future leadership roles.•The assessment of student reflective assignments identified areas for future module improvement by the faculty.