Title : From chaos to curriculum

Background/Introduction: Curriculum development in nursing education is often siloed, limiting opportunities for interdisciplinary integration and systems-level thinking. As healthcare systems grow in complexity, educators must be prepared to design curricula that reflect interconnections across courses and long-term impacts on student outcomes. Systems thinking emphasizes interdependence, feedback loops, and dynamic processes. Skills essential for cohesive, program-wide curricular design. Yet, few faculty development initiatives provide experiential learning to support these competencies. This study explored how a simulation-based intervention, Friday Night at the ER, combined with a structured debrief using the GATHER–ANALYZE–SUMMARIZE (GAS) framework, influenced nursing faculty’s understanding and application of systems thinking in curriculum development.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a simulation-based faculty development intervention on nursing faculty members’ understanding and application of systems thinking in curriculum design and collaboration.

Methods or Processes/Procedures: This IRB-approved, one-group pretest-posttest study involved 18 nursing faculty at a public, Midwestern university. Participants completed a pre-intervention survey assessing perceptions of systems thinking across domains, including interrelationships, feedback loops, dynamic thinking, and curricular application. Demographic data was collected to describe participants’ academic roles, years of teaching, instructional level, and prior curriculum revision involvement. Participants then engaged in Friday Night at the ER, a simulation designed to promote system-level decision-making, followed by a structured debrief using the GAS framework to connect simulation insights to curriculum development. A post-test survey was completed at the conclusion of the session. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests. Open-ended post-test responses were analyzed thematically to identify changes in understanding and perspective.

Results: All 18 faculty members completed the session, representing varied teaching roles and experience. Paired sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) on 11 of the 15 survey items. Notable gains were seen in domains related to dynamic thinking, feedback loops, and program-wide curriculum planning. Participants demonstrated increased awareness of how early curricular decisions produce delayed effects and expressed greater willingness to adjust course design in response to broader program needs. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses revealed two key themes: (1) enhanced recognition of the curriculum as an interconnected system, and (2) increased openness to interdisciplinary collaboration and curricular integration.

Limitations: This study’s limitations include a small sample size and a single institution setting, which may restrict generalizability. Self-reported measures may be subject to response-shift bias, and the lack of long-term follow-up limits conclusions about sustained change. Prior exposure to systems thinking and facilitator involvement by the research team may have influenced results. Absence of a control group limits causal attribution.

Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Simulation-based faculty development with structured debriefing can strengthen systems thinking and foster collaborative curriculum planning. Experiential strategies like Friday Night at the ER offer valuable tools for promoting curriculum integration and meeting the demands of evolving nursing education standards.

Dr. Kelly Pruden, DNP, RN, is an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Southern Indiana. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Northern Kentucky University and a MSN with a focus in nursing education from Western Governors University.

Dr. Pruden brings a strong clinical background in high-acuity and critical care settings, including cardiac neuro intensive care. She holds CCRN and is licensed as a registered nurse in Indiana.

Her teaching focuses on preparing pre-licensure nursing students for safe, effective, and evidence-based practice. Dr. Pruden is actively involved in curriculum development and alignment with national standards.