The sharks were circling TLU’s New Braunfels campus once again last month, as the nursing department hosted its semi-annual Shark Tank event.
This Shark Tank departs from the popular television show, trading the cutthroat competition for something a bit more peaceful and cooperative. It involves master’s level nursing students presenting clinical proposals, rather than business proposals. And the “investors” are area clinical partners who then have the option of implementing students’ ideas at their hospitals and clinics.
“Our nursing programs meet year-round, so every semester we have master's level students engaged in both the first and second semesters of our research course, so Shark Tank is part of the course,” said Dr. Gayle Dasher, visiting clinical professor on TLU’s New Braunfels campus. First-semester research students create poster presentations, while second-semester research students make formal oral presentations, delivering detailed proposals and fielding audience questions.
The December event was well received, to say the least.
“Four of the projects have investors!” said Dasher. “Two of the poster presentations have generated interest from clinical partners who are engaging with the students as they begin to fully develop the implementation phase of their projects. Two other presentations are already working with clinical partners to implement and collect data regarding progress. Consistently, our clinical partners express how impressed they are with the level of work our students are presenting.”
Clinical partners who do choose to "invest" in one of the student projects can either elect to have the student group assist with implementation or use the students’ ideas to do so with their own staff, sharing the results with the students.
“The value to the students cannot be overestimated!” said Dasher. “The event really speaks to a high level of professionalism in nursing and emphasizes our dedication to improving practice.”
Dasher went on to say that through the process, the students cultivate both the ability to produce professional presentations and the skills to speak to their topic and answer questions from the clinical partners. “It is exciting to see them interacting with our partners—people who are experienced in practice and express confidence in the potential success of their projects.”
“This experience was profoundly valuable, as the implementation my team and I are pursuing has the potential to positively impact patient health and overall community well-being,” said Level 4 Master of Nursing (MSN) student Adam Wiejaczka. “Additionally, this initiative aims to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families through improved healthcare delivery. The foundations of nursing practice are rooted in scientific evidence, patient-centered care, and ethical principles that emphasize compassion and advocacy, all of which are reflected in our project’s purpose and implementation.”
Dasher said students are always a bit nervous before the event—“but their smiles and excitement after it's over really speak to the value of Shark Tank.”