Samuel Merritt University uses continuous assessment and data analysis to support student success, in fulfillment of the University’s mission. Most students at SMU are completing a second degree, either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or a Master's or Doctoral degree in health sciences.
Samuel Merritt University’s Institutional Effectiveness framework incorporates data reports and analysis from the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and the Director of Institutional Research into recommendations for action from the Institutional Effectiveness Committee. Those recommendations follow an established path through senior leadership teams all the way up to SMU’s President and Board of Regents and back to the SMU community.
Program curricula are explicitly linked to Institutional Learning Outcomes through Course and Program Learning Outcomes, with interactive curriculum map visualizations, academic assessment reports, and evidence of student learning available in the Institutional Effectiveness Center. Interactive data exhibits about student success measures, along with multiple years’ data about admissions, enrollment, degrees, financial aid, and faculty and staff profiles, are publicly available in Institutional Research.
ILO 01
Practice—Enter practice, enter residency education, or practice in the enhanced role for which they have been prepared.
ILO 02
Ethics, Professionalism, Compassion—Embody their ethical and professional responsibilities to effectively serve individuals from diverse backgrounds, their profession, and society with compassion, caring, and humility.
ILO 03
Teamwork—Communicate and collaborate effectively as members of interprofessional teams.
ILO 04
Structural and Social Determinants of Health—Integrate an understanding of structural and social determinants of health into professional practice.
ILO 05
Clinical Reasoning—Provide person-centered care using sound clinical reasoning informed by evidence from research and practice.
ILO 06
Leadership—Advocate, as agents of change, to improve health and healthcare, especially for structurally vulnerable populations.
ILO 07
Informatics—Effectively use data, information, and technology to support decision-making in complex systems.
ILO 08
Self-Care—Engage in self-care practices for personal health and wellness.
PLO 1
Demonstrate respect for the inherent dignity of individuals and groups in the delivery of nursing care within an appropriate moral, ethical, and legal framework.
PLO 2
Integrate theory, research, and knowledge from nursing, the physical, behavioral sciences, and humanities to improve the quality of care provided to clients.
PLO 3
Use effective communication principles in facilitating professional relationships with clients, families, and health care system colleagues.
PLO 4
Demonstrate clinical reasoning in planning, delivering, and evaluating care directed at disease preventions, health promotion, and health restoration across the life span with diverse clients of all ages.
PLO 5
Critically analyze research findings for application in the provision of therapeutic, evidence-based nursing interventions.
PLO 6
Analyze the effect of changing social, cultural, legal, economic, global, political, and ethical trends on healthcare policy, financing, and regulatory environments.
PLO 7
Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary practitioners to promote illness prevention and the health and welfare of individuals families and communities.
PLO 8
Apply standards of practice within an ethical decision making framework in the provision of nursing care that meets clients healthcare needs.
PLO 9 (ABSN, BSN and ELMSN only)
Use leadership and management principles in the delegation and supervision of nursing care while retaining accountability for the quality of care given to the client.
PLO 9 (RN to BSN only)
Using transformative principles of unitary caring science, develop self and others to enhance the interprofessional nursing role in teams and organizations.
PLO 10
Use emerging healthcare information technologies to evaluate client care and advance client education.
PLO 11
Articulate a philosophy of self-care and professional development.
PLO A Maintaining Patient Safety, as evidenced by the ability to:
PLO A.1. Be vigilant in the delivery of patient care.
PLO A.2. Protect patients from iatrogenic complications.
PLO A.3. Participate in the positioning of patients to prevent injury.
PLO A.4 . Conduct a comprehensive and appropriate equipment check.
PLO A.5. Comply with all current patient safety goals outlined by both the joint commission and the National Patient Safety Foundation. Utilize standard precautions and appropriate infection control measures.
PLO A.6. Effectively implement skills and principles of Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management
PLO A.7. Refrain from engaging in extraneous activities that abandon or minimize vigilance while providing direct patient care (e.g., texting, reading, emailing, etc.).
PLO B Providing individualized perianesthetic management by demonstrating the ability to:
PLO B.1 Provide care throughout the perianesthetic continuum.
PLO B.2. Use a variety of current anesthesia techniques, agents, adjunctive drugs, and equipment while providing anesthesia.
PLO B.3. Administer general anesthesia to patients of all ages and physical conditions for a variety of surgical and medically related procedures.
PLO B.4 . Provide anesthesia to services to all patients, including trauma and emergency cases.
PLO B.5. Administer and manage a variety of regional anesthetics.
PLO B.6. Function as a resource person for airway and ventilatory management of patients.
PLO B.7. Possess current advance cardiac life support (ACLS) recognition.
PLO B.8. Possess current pediatric advance cardiac life support (PALS) recognition.
PLO B.9. Deliver culturally competent perianesthetic care throughout the anesthesia experience.
PLO B.10. Perform a comprehensive history and a physical assessment.
PLO C Critical thinking, by demonstrating the ability to:
PLO C.1. Apply knowledge to practice in decision making and problem solving.
PLO C.2. Provide nurse anesthesia care based on sound principles and research evidence.
PLO C.3. Perform a preanesthetic assessment and formulate an anesthesia care plan for patients to whom they are assigned to administer anesthesia.
PLO C.4. Identify and take appropriate action when confronted with anesthetic equipment-related malfunctions.
PLO C.5. Interpret and utilize data obtained from noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities.
PLO C.6. Calculate, initiate and manage fluid and blood component therapy.
PLO C.7. Recognize and appropriately respond to anesthetic complications that occur during the perianesthetic period.
PLO C.8. Pass the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists' (NBCRNA) certification examination in accordance with NBCRNA policies and procedures.
PLO D Communication skills, as evidenced by the ability to:
PLO D.1. Effectively communicate with individuals influencing patient care.
PLO D.2. Utilize appropriate verbal, nonverbal, and written communication in the delivery of perianesthetic care.
PLO E Professional role, by demonstrating the ability to:
PLO E.1. Participate in activities that improve anesthesia care.
PLO E.2. Function within appropriate legal requirements as a registered professional nurse, accepting responsibility and accountability for his or her practice.
PLO E.3. Interact on a professional level with integrity.
PLO E.4. Teach others.
PLO.E. Participate in continuing education activities to acquire new knowledge and improve his or her practice.
PLO E.6. Demonstrate knowledge of wellness and chemical dependency in the anesthesia profession through completion of content in wellness and chemical dependency.
PLO 1
Ensure coordination, continuity and quality of care for a selected population.
PLO 2
Assume nursing case management roles in a variety of health care settings.
PLO 3
Demonstrate a clinical nursing foundation in the application of case management principles.
PLO 1
Integrate nursing science with knowledge from biophysical, psychosocial, analytic, and organizational sciences and the humanities to deliver advanced high quality, ethical, and person-centered nursing care.
PLO 2
Provide organizational and systems leadership for the coordination and organization of services and the delivery of safe, culturally responsive care in varied healthcare settings.
PLO 3
Implement evidence-based practices for the delivery of safe and effective care and apply tools for continuous quality improvement.
PLO 4
Synthesize theory, clinical observation, data, and best practices to improve clinical and population health outcomes.
PLO 5
Utilize information technologies and healthcare innovations to collect and analyze patient and population data for improved health outcomes.
PLO 6
Apply systems- based practice to advocate for healthcare legislation, policies, and regulations that promote equitable access and improved outcomes.
PLO 7
Apply interpersonal communication skills and team building strategies to promote inter-professional collaboration for improved healthcare outcomes.
PLO 8
Integrate social, economic, and epidemiological data with clinical prevention guidelines to promote socially relevant health interventions that improve population health outcomes.
PLO 9
Demonstrate advanced clinical judgement and application of evidence-based interventions toward wellbeing and professional development in nursing practice.
PLO 1
Synthesize knowledge and concepts from the sciences and liberal arts with occupational therapy theory to provide comprehensive service to persons with limitations in occupational performance.
PLO 2
Demonstrate logical thinking, critical analysis, problem-solving, creativity, and independent clinical judgment in the provision of occupational therapy.
PLO 3
Provide a broad range of functional performance skills to individuals and families from diverse and multicultural populations throughout the life span.
PLO 4
Utilize oral, nonverbal, and written communication skills to develop and maintain therapeutic, goal-directed interactions with individuals, families, caregivers, staff, and community groups.
PLO 5
Design, evaluate, and implement therapeutic strategies directed toward assisting individuals, team members, and community groups in preventing disease, promoting health, and maximizing occupational performance.
PLO 6
Participate in scientific inquiry designed to improve occupational therapy practice and to enhance the occupational therapy profession.
PLO 7
Maintain responsibility and accountability for service provision to assure adherence to legal, ethical, and professional standards.
PLO 8
Collaborate with other professionals as a leader, advocate, and team member.
PLO 9
Demonstrate a commitment to the core values of the University. (learning, collegial, collaborative with community, innovative, results-oriented)
PLO 10
Be aware of and engage in wellness practices for personal mental and physical health.
PLO 1
Medical Knowledge: Acquisition and comprehension of scientific content related to the theory and practice of medicine.
PLO 2
Communication Skills & Teamwork: Effective communication and professional exchange of information are essential to creating therapeutic and ethically sound relationships.
PLO 3
Patient-Centered Care: Physician Assistant students are expected to learn to provide patient care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values and includes an understanding of the social determinants of health. Moreover, students are expected to learn that patient values guide all clinical decision-making practices.
PLO 4
Professional Development: Professionalism is the expression of positive values and ideals as care is delivered, and it involves prioritizing the interests of those being served above one’s own. As members of a health care profession, it is imperative that the highest professional standards be maintained at all times. Professionalism also includes appropriate self-care, wellness, and burnout prevention.
PLO 5
Evidence Based Practice: Evidence based practice includes the process through which Physician Assistant students engage in utilizing informational technology to access medical research and information for the purpose of providing medical care.
PLO 1
Integrate nursing science with biomedical knowledge and evidence-based interprofessional best practices for the highest level of nursing practice.
PLO 2
Provide leadership for the organization, delivery, quality, safety, sustainability, accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement in healthcare.
PLO 3
Translate evidence into practice, evaluate practice, improve outcomes of care, and participate in collaborative research.
PLO 4
Identify, appraise, implement, and evaluate information technology and systems to provide and improve care.
PLO 5
Design, advocate, and implement health care policy to support equitable and inclusive health care access, financing, regulation, safety, quality, and efficacy.
PLO 6
Provide leadership to facilitate collaborative team functioning and interprofessional practice to improve healthcare outcomes.
PLO 7
Analyze health risks within the biological, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic determinants of health to develop, implement, and evaluate clinical prevention measures to improve population health.
PLO 8
Practice in a specialty role using advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, accountability, and innovation to design, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based care to improve healthcare outcomes.
PLO 1
Synthesize knowledge and concepts from the sciences and liberal arts with occupational therapy theory to provide comprehensive service to persons with limitations in occupational performance.
PLO 2
Formulates questions and develops systematic methods to address them.
PLO 3
Serves as a resource of knowledge about the discipline.
PLO 4
Demonstrate logical thinking, critical analysis, problem solving, creativity, and independent clinical judgment in the provision of occupational therapy for the individual and population based needs.
PLO 5
Critically examines own assumptions and suspends biased judgments.
PLO 6
Evaluates and justifies solutions to complex problems that lead to effective change or improved outcomes.
PLO 7
Provide a broad range of functional performance skills based on the available evidence to individuals and families from diverse and multicultural populations throughout the life span while considering interdisciplinary factors.
PLO 8
Utilize effective oral, nonverbal, and written communication skills to develop and maintain therapeutic, goal directed interactions with individuals, families, caregivers, staff, and community groups.
PLO 9
Plan, implement and evaluate organizational communication systems.
PLO 10
Demonstrate humanistic qualities which foster the formation of appropriate and effective patient/provider relationships.
PLO 11
Design, evaluate and implement therapeutic strategies directed toward assisting individuals, team members, and community groups in preventing disease, promoting health, and maximizing occupational performance.
PLO 12
Demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills to determine, guide, and implement best practices in health care.
PLO 13
Critically analyze scholarly papers and research findings for application of occupational therapy services and demonstrate the ability to produce scholarly work.
PLO 14
Design and implement a scholarly study in scientific inquiry designed to improve occupational therapy practice and to enhance the occupational therapy profession.
PLO 15
Maintain responsibility and accountability for service provision to assure adherence to legal, ethical, and professional standards.
PLO 16
Develop a plan for ongoing professional development to improve clinical competence.
PLO 17
Implement and evaluate ethical decision making from individual, organizational, and societal perspectives.
PLO 18
Collaborate with other professionals as a leader, advocate, and team member to initiate and effect changes in policy for social needs and to improve healthcare and professional practice through leadership.
PLO 19
Advance the profession through leadership and community service activities.
PLO 20
Demonstrate a commitment to the core values of the University.
PLO 21
Independently manages health problems that incorporate principles of cultural competence.
PLO 22
Develop and promote professional practice that recognizes and respects differences among patients in terms of their values, expectations, and experiences with healthcare.
PLO 23
Be aware of and engage in wellness practices for personal mental and physical health.
PLO 1
Be knowledgeable in the preclinical sciences and use this knowledge as a foundation for learning outcomes two though nine.BE KNOWLEDGEABLE MIN THE PRECLINICAL SCIENCES
PLO 1a
Describe and explain the bodies of knowledge concerning normal human anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and the structure and function of the human body.
PLO 1b
Describe and explain the causes of disease and the consequences of altered structure or function of the human body and its organ systems.
PLO 1c
Describe and explain pharmacological principles and interventions.
PLO 1d
Describe and explain the role of microbes, parasites and the diseases that they cause.
PLO 1e
Describe and explain the structure and function of the immune system.
PLO 2
Formulate successful patient management strategies based upon sound, applicable diagnostic and assessment skills.
PLO 2a
Apply knowledge of the pre-clinical sciences in clinical decision-making and patient care.
PLO 2b
Perform and interpret a history and physical examination
PLO 2c
Identify and interpret common clinical, laboratory, imaging, gait and other studies used to diagnose pathologies.
PLO 2d
Describe, recognize and explain the pathologic manifestations of common conditions of the lower extremity.
PLO 2e
Formulate appropriate differential diagnoses and plans of management.
PLO 2f
Select and administer, under supervision, appropriate medical and surgical treatments.
PLO 2g
Recognize patients with life threatening emergencies and institute initial therapy.
PLO 3
Identify and perform clinical practice behaviors that hallmark professionalism, empathy and ethical decision-making.
PLO 3a
Describe, explain and follow the ethical boundaries of the doctor-patient relationship.
PLO 3b
Describe, explain and follow state and federal laws governing the practice of the profession.
PLO 3c
Describe, explain and demonstrate the principles of bioethics, including customary and accepted standards of professional practice.
PLO 3d
Describe, explain and demonstrate principles of self-regulation of the profession.
PLO 3e
Practice with honesty and integrity, avoiding conflicts of interest.
PLO 3f
Identify, value and practice empathetic patient care.
PLO 3g
Select, interpret and apply the scientific literature to clinical practice.
PLO 4a
Recognize and interpret the strengths and weaknesses of the medical literature.
PLO 4b
Explain and follow principles of research methodology in the analysis of levels of evidence.
PLO 4c
Use CME among other sources to optimize patient outcomes.
PLO 4d
Explain and apply the principles of evidence based medicine in clinical decision making.
PLO 4e
Retrieve, interpret, manage, and use biomedical information to solve problems and to make decisions relevant to the care of individuals and populations.
PLO 4f
Assess actual patient outcomes versus evidence based outcomes or standards of care practice guidelines
PLO 5
Acknowledge, value and respect the role of all health care professionals.
PLO 5a
Demonstrate effective collaboration with other health care professionals to promote the delivery of quality health care services.
PLO 5b
Identify and perform appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers and agencies.
PLO 6
Understand healthcare systems and policy.
PLO 6a
Describe and explain the role of stakeholders in health care.
PLO 6b
Describe and explain basic healthcare insurance products and third party reimbursement, including but not limited to fee for service, independent practice associations (IPA), preferred provider organizations (PPO), health maintenance organizations (HMO) and capitation.
PLO 6c
Describe and explain basic types of professional insurance.
PLO 6d
Describe and explain the role of federal and state regulations in medical practice.
PLO 6e
Describe and explain basic legal considerations in medical practice and risk management.
PLO 7
Facilitate the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for culturally diverse individuals, groups, families, and communities.
PLO 7a
Describe and explain the role of the health care advocate and operate as an advocate for health care rights for all individuals.
PLO 7b
Describe and explain the importance of non-biological determinants of poor health and of the economic, psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to the development and continuation of maladies.
PLO 7c
Demonstrate a commitment to provide care to marginalized patients in underserved populations.
PLO 7d
Acknowledge professional responsibility.
PLO 8
Recognize and participate in opportunities to enhance development of the profession.
PLO 8a
Commit to life-long learning.
PLO 8b
Commit to actively participate in community service.
PLO 8c
Demonstrate effective verbal, written and technological interactions in communication with patients, families and colleagues and in information retrieval.
PLO 9
Exchange electronic information accurately.
PLO 9a
Exhibit empathy in all communications.
PLO 9b
Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with patients, families, and colleagues.
PLO 9c
Effectively use and value interpersonal skills related to gender, social, cultural and economic differences.
PLO 9d
Demonstrate active listening.
PLO 9e
Describe and explain the basic principles of public health, health promotion, disease prevention and clinical epidemiology.
PLO 1
Competently provide physical therapy for individuals with movement dysfunction across the lifespan in the most common practice settings.
PLO 2
Use sound clinical reasoning to guide physical therapist practice, integrating best available evidence from the literature, clinical experience, and patient/client’s perspectives and values.
PLO 3
Provide person-centered physical therapy with compassion, caring, and humility.
PLO 4
Integrate an understanding of structural and social determinants of health into their physical therapist practice.
PLO 5
Engage in critical reflection to learn from practice to improve quality of care.
PLO 6
Communicate and collaborate effectively as members of interprofessional teams.
PLO 7
Engage in disease prevention, health promotion, and wellness services for the care of self, individuals, and groups.
PLO 8
Actively engage in the profession of physical therapy through participation in professional associations, service to the community, and advocacy for the health needs of individuals and society.
PLO 9
Act responsibly with sound reasoning, integrity, and courage to achieve just resolution of ethical problems that affect individuals, organizations, and society.
PLO 10
Exhibit continuous professional development in behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics consistent with excellence in practice.
PLO 11
Effectively use data, information, and technology to support decision-making as physical therapists working in complex systems.