LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ATI Nursing Education, the leading provider of online nurse education programs, today announced the award of its ATI Nursing Education Nurses Touch Product Grant to Des Moines Area Community Colleges practical nurse program and The University of North Carolina at Pembrokes registered nurse program.

The Nurses Touch product line, which will launch nationwide in fall 2012, is the industrys first online education program focusing exclusively on developing professional and interpersonal skills in nurses thus meeting a growing industry need. The product grant provides for the two nursing programs to use Nurses Touch for one class of students for one year.

The Des Moines Area Community College and University of North Carolina at Pembroke programs were selected from more than 120 grant applications. Using stringent criteria, ATI Nursing Education selected the schools based on how Nurses Touch will be used to enhance the educational experience and performance outcomes of nursing students.

Given the nursing roles of advocate, communicator, teacher, caregiver, and manager, the soft skills of nursing are increasingly important to the educational process, said Margaret Cooper, RN, MSN, Nurse Educator with the Des Moines Area Community College program. We are very excited to be able to offer our students access to the Nurses Touch product to strengthen those skills.

It is imperative that students understand that nursing entails more than the ability to perform pure technical skills, said Dena Evans, EdD, MPH, BSN, RN, CNE, associate professor and coordinator of the Learning Enhancement Center of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke program. Unfortunately, in many schools of nursing, a focus primarily on psychomotor skills leads to graduates who are unprepared for the critical and reflective thinking required in todays dynamic healthcare environment. We believe that upon graduation, these students who are exposed to the Nurses Touch content will be better prepared for a constantly evolving and demanding work environment.

Barbara Synowiez, PhD, MSN, RN, chair and professor of the Department of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke agreed that the grant will provide a unique opportunity for the school to enhance the professional and interpersonal skills of its nursing graduates.

We are pleased to be a recipient of this grant and look forward to working with ATI Nursing Education during the next year, said Dr. Synowiez.

The Nurses Touch product line focuses on five key content areas including professional communication, wellness and self-care, becoming a professional nurse, nursing informatics and technology, and leadership and management all areas which will help foster interpersonal skills on the job. Like all ATI Nursing Education programs, Nurses Touch uses the latest and most effective learning tools such as interactive simulators, tutorials, case studies, and practice and proctored assessments.

Nurses Touch also allows educators to assess and track students progress. In addition to student growth, this reporting information can be an accreditation documentation resource.

Original post:
ATI Nursing Education Awards Grants that Provide Industry-first, Online Professional and Interpersonal Skills ...