Elsevier

Nurse Education Today

Volume 61, February 2018, Pages 134-139
Nurse Education Today

Organizational learning in a college of nursing: A learning history

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2017.11.004Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Findings apply to colleges of nursing desiring to become learning organizations.

  • Elements of an organizational learning culture are proposed.

  • Behaviors conducive to organizational learning are identified.

Abstract

Background

College of nursing leaders can foster organizational learning as a means of achieving their desired organizational outcomes. Organizational learning has not previously been studied in colleges of nursing, leaving college administrators and faculty little guidance as they strive to improve outcomes in their own colleges.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to discover new insights related to organizational learning in a college of nursing.

Design

The learning history method was used to document and describe organizational learning in a college of nursing.

Setting

This study was conducted with a college of nursing situated in a private, religious-based university in the western United States.

Participants

Six stakeholders and 16 individuals familiar with the college's history were purposively recruited for this study. Participants included college administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and individuals with university-level responsibilities related to the college.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews and college artifacts were used to gather data. Data was reviewed and themes identified through a process called “distillation.”

Findings

The college's vision, “Learning the Healer's Art” provides purpose and motivation within the college. Four themes provide additional insight into how the college established a learning culture and fosters behavior conducive to organizational learning: (1) Character and Quality, (2) Long-Term Perspective, (3) Collaborative Leadership and Adaptation, and (4) Mentoring.

Conclusion

College of nursing leaders can foster organizational learning and pursue improvement within their colleges. Recommended actions include developing a shared vision for the college, building a cadre of qualified faculty and students who have strong personal character, maintaining a long-term perspective, using a collaborative approach to leadership and adaptation, and facilitating mentoring.

Section snippets

Methodology

The research design selected for this study was a “learning history” (Bradbury et al., 2015, Kleiner and Roth, 1996). Learning histories can be used to study organizational learning and the context in which the learning occurred. Learning histories document past learning in an organization and stimulate a collective reflection process that can serve as a foundation for future collective reflection and learning within the organization (Bradbury et al., 2015).

Findings

The learning history emerging from this process documented several decades of organizational learning. Findings included participants' attention to the historical development of the college; an emphasis on “Learning the Healer's Art,” which serves as a unifying vision for the college; and four themes related to achieving the college's notable outcomes.

Discussion

These findings offer insight into organizational learning in a CON. Faculty members and administrators in this particular college created a culture conducive to organizational learning by establishing a shared vision, recruiting faculty and students who fit organizationally relevant criteria, and maintaining a long-term perspective. Within this environment, certain behaviors—collaboratively leading change, and providing strong mentoring, teaching, and learning—contribute to organizational

Conclusion

The primary purpose of this study was to discover new insights related to organizational learning in a college of nursing that may guide nursing faculty and administrators as they strive to improve outcomes in their own colleges. Findings included four themes associated with organizational learning in a CON: Character & Quality, Long-Term Perspective, Collaborative Leadership & Adaptation, and Mentoring. College leaders can take specific steps to create a culture of learning and to foster

Funding/Support

This study was supported by the Brigham Young University College of Nursing.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the participants for sharing their insights and knowledge regarding the college's history and performance.

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