To become a leader in nursing education, a school must provide faculty and staff with resources to stay on the cutting edge. Nursing Education is always evolving, and to ensure that leaders and educators have the tools they need, DUSON created the Institute for Educational Excellence (IEE). The IEE’s goal is to sustain a culture of educational excellence and innovation. It helps prepare educators to design highly effective academic programing that will educate the next generation of nursing leaders.

The focus the IEE puts on education has paid off. This year, the School earned its third designation as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education from the National League for Nursing (NLN). In fact, DUSON is the only school in the nation to currently hold all three designations from the NLN. DUSON was recognized at the NLN’s 2017 Education Summit in the categories “Advancing the Science of Nursing Education” (2017-2021) and “Promoting the Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty” (renewed 2017-2022). In 2015, DUSON was one of only two schools to receive two consecutive designations adding the category “Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development (2015-2019).”

“We have worked hard to create an environment of excellence in all we do as educators... In an ever-changing healthcare environment, with an unknown future, we recognize our work is never finished” said Beth Cusatis Phillips, PhD, RN, CNE, Associate Professor, Interim Director for the Institute for Educational Excellence. "The IEE is a place for nurse educators to grow and learn, think and explore new ways of teaching while being challenged by the dynamic environments around us.”

There are various programs offered to help the IEE achieve its goals including monthly Teaching Conversations, an annual Clinical Instructor Intensive, a competitive Teaching Fellowship Program and an annual national conference on Pursuing Radical Transformation in Health Professions Education.

Pursuing Radical Transformation in Health Professions Education Conference is intended to challenge educators to think differently about how to educate the next generation of nurses. Year after year, the conference features internationally-recognized experts in education, both inside and outside of nursing, providing extended opportunities for learning and dialogue about emerging issues and innovations in education. It is an opportunity for those teaching in all types of nursing education programs—practical nurse, associate degree, diploma, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral—to learn, grow and innovate.

The Teaching Conversations series are informal sessions facilitated by DUSON faculty and other experts from Duke that share education innovations, strengthen teaching strategies and address common issues that may be experienced by faculty. These Teaching Conversations are made available via livestream to those who may not physically be at DUSON and are available for viewing on the School’s website.

The group’s Clinical Instructor Intensive is an annual conference providing in-depth training and teaching skills for CIs. It incorporates formal presentations by experts in undergraduate education, case studies, new policies and practices that will impact clinical education and provide opportunities to discuss, role conflicts and other important topics affecting clinical education. In 2018, the focus will expand to include clinical instructors and preceptors from DUSON’s MSN program.

The Teaching Fellowship Program recognizes the importance of education and is designed to advance the educational expertise of faculty by providing opportunities to continually develop in ways that will have a significant impact on the science and practice of nursing education. The fellowships are awarded for a two-year period and supports all fellows with monthly meetings, a stipend and requires a final project or publication.

In conjunction with the DUSON 2016-2020 strategic plan’s focus on education, the IEE works create an engaging student-centered learning environment that facilitates quality of teaching and learning in the nursing profession.