Mirella Brooks

Hawaii Pacific University
USA

Abstract Title:

Biography:

Research Interest: These abstract probes the clinical immersion experience of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) through the lens of Competency Based Education (CBE), aligned with the AACN Essentials (2021). The shift toward value-based healthcare is driving nursing education to replace traditional, time-based models with CBE frameworks. This pedagogy prioritizes the demonstrable acquisition of skills, knowledge, and professional judgment, ensuring that graduates are prepared for the rigors of advanced practice. Clinical immersion serves as the cornerstone of the APRN curriculum, providing a rigorous environment where theoretical knowledge is translated into specialized practice. Under the AACN Essentials, this experience focuses on the integration of the four spheres of care: wellness/prevention, disease management, regenerative/restorative care, and hospice/palliative care. Through direct patient care and systems-level engagement, the APRN student demonstrates mastery of core competencies, including health promotion, differential diagnosis, and evidence-based intervention. Key to this immersion is the development of Advanced Nursing Practice (Domain 1) and Population Health (Domain 3). Students engage in complex clinical reasoning, utilizing informatics and healthcare technologies to optimize patient outcomes. This immersion facilitates the cultivation of leadership and interprofessional partnership (Domain 6), allowing the student to lead multidisciplinary teams in solving intricate clinical challenges. By navigating the socio-economic determinants of health within a practice setting, students refine their ability to provide equitable, person-centered care. Assessment within the CBE framework is continuous. Faculty and preceptors utilize objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and longitudinal performance data to verify that the student has met the established benchmarks for entry into practice. This immersion experience ultimately ensures that the APRN is not only proficient in clinical tasks but also possesses the grounding required for advanced practice. By adhering to the AACN Essentials, immersion prepares the APRN to drive innovation, improve health equity, and provide high-quality care in an evolving global healthcare environment. Key words, Competency Based education, AACN Essentials, Core Competencies, Immersion and experience.