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National League for Nursing - Excellence Initiatives
Roles and Responsibilities of the Consultant
The Centers of Excellence consultant IS expected
to do the following:
Setting Up the Visit:
- Contact the dean/director/chairperson of the school to arrange dates
and coordinate plans for the visit.
- Review the school's initial application prior to the visit.
- Participate in the consultant orientation process and seek clarification
from the committee members, if needed.
The Visit:
- Review with the faculty the NLN Centers of Excellence in Nursing Education
program.
- Clarify the selection criteria for faculty.
- Assist the faculty to identify how they are meeting each criterion.
- Work with the faculty to identify its unique or innovative qualities
that will enhance the application.
- Dialogue with faculty (and others if appropriate) about how the school
can best showcase its work and present evidence related to each selection criterion.
- Visit classrooms, clinical sites, and/or other settings that provide
a context for understanding the school's activities related to the selection
criteria.
- Meet with college/university “officials” for a brief social
visit if requested by the school.
- Assist faculty to develop creative and effective ways to prepare the
final application.
- Suggest ways to prepare and present the final application.
- Stress that there is no guarantee that the consultant's recommendations
about Center of Excellence. designation will be similar to the committee’s
final recommendation or the Board’s decision.
Things to Remember When Consulting:
- Be as flexible as possible when arranging for the visit.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding discussions with faculty, personal
opinions about the school, and disposition of the consultant report.
- During the visit, be creative and open to new ideas during discussions
with faculty.
- Act in ways that are consistent with the NLN's mission, goals, and values.
The Centers of Excellence consultant is NOT expected to do
the following:
- Review any material prior to the visit, other than the initial application.
- Provide consultation about accreditation criteria or general program
development (e.g., whether or not the school should start a graduate program).
- Review student or faculty records.
- Visit with campus “officials,” unless the school thinks
this is particularly relevant to its application (i.e. A “social”
visit may be arranged if this is usual practice in the institution when a guest
is on campus).
- Arrange formal meetings with alumni or clinical agency representatives.
- Review minutes of meetings.
- Make a formal presentation.
- Provide a recommendation about whether or not the school should receive
designation as an NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.
- Make suggestions about the outcome of the application.
- Accept an honorarium or any other gifts from the school.
Roles and Responsibilities of the School
The school applying for designation as an NLN Center of Excellence
IS expected to do the following:
Setting Up the Visit:
- Collaborate with the consultant to confirm dates for the onsite, one-two
day visit.
- Collaborate with the consultant to make travel, hotel, ground transportation,
and meal arrangements.
- Be as flexible as possible when arranging for the visit.
- Pay the consultant's travel, hotel, ground transportation, and meal
expenses in a timely manner.
- Dialogue with the consultant prior to the visit to determine the activities
in which she/he will be involved during the visit.
The Visit:
- Encourage faculty (and others, if desired) to talk openly with the consultant
in order to (a) fully understand the Centers of Excellence program, (b) fully
understand the selection criteria in the school's chosen area of designation,
and (c) take fullest advantage of her/his ideas and suggestions.
- Arrange for the consultant to meet with individual or groups of faculty,
students, and any other individuals or groups (within reason) that may be relevant
to the school's application as appropriate.
- Provide the consultant with information about the school as requested.
- Provide materials to support the consultant’s ability to fully
understand the program.
- Think about ways to frame questions about the criteria in order to facilitate
documentation and full disclosure of evidence.
Following the Visit:
- Review consultant report.
- Pursue a brief follow-up with the consultant after the visit, if needed.
- Provide feedback about the school's experience with the Centers of Excellence
program as part of the processes used to evaluate the program.
The school applying for designation as an NLN Center of Excellence
is NOT expected to do the following:
- Provide luxury accommodations or travel arrangements for the consultant.
- Make student or faculty files available to the consultant.
- Give the consultant an honorarium or any other gift.
- Share the consultant's report with anyone, unless the school chooses
to do so.
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