Final Draft of Project 1

TO: Technical Writing Committee for the Microbiology Department
FROM: Melissa Palmer
DATE: July 18, 2005
SUBJECT: Suggestions for Updating Course Curriculum

INTRODCTION

As requested, I have investigated the importance of technical writing in the health care profession and suggest that the Microbiology Department at Clemson University implement a course that will teach technical writing as it would be most beneficial to students heading into the workplace. Microbiology graduates may enter graduate school in microbiology, biochemistry, or bioengineering. They may also pursue careers in the fermentation and drug industries, medical and public health microbiology, or agriculture (Undergraduate Catalog, 2005). However, many of my peers are vigorously competing for acceptance to medical or dental school. Faced with fierce competition, these Clemson graduates require an additional course to enhance their knowledge and technical writing skills. Medical schools, such as MUSC, do not give extra credit to students enrolled in a difficult major; however, they compensate Clemson graduates by adding 0.5 points to their GPA based on Clemson’s rigorous courses. If the applicant is a member of the Calhoun Honors College, MUSC adds 0.55 points to their GPA. The Microbiology department at Clemson graduates many students preparing for medical school each semester; however, the curriculum does not include Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIOSC 222/223). Human Anatomy and Physiology I is a basic introductory course in integrated human anatomy and physiology covering cells and tissues; skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems; sensory organs (Undergraduate Catalog, 2005). BIOSC 222 is structured primarily for nursing and other health-related fields. Human Anatomy and Physiology II is the continuation of BIOSC 222. The course covers the endocrine, reproductive, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, and digestive systems (Undergraduate Catalog, 2005). Adding Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II to the Microbiology curriculum would raise the value and reputation of a Clemson degree. In addition, this course would prepare students for the information and competition they will encounter in medical school. I believe these students will be better technical writers in the health care profession if they learn the information provided in BIOSC 222/223 before they head to a demanding medical school. Some microbiology majors, like myself, started out on the medical school track; however, based on personal and changing interests intend to enter the nursing field. The College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina requires eight semester hours of Human Anatomy and Physiology as a prequisite to enter the Accelerated BSN/MSN program. Because the Microbiology curriculum demands full semester loads of 15-17 hours, it very difficult for students to fit Human Anatomy and Physiology into their schedules. Many students are forced to utilize their free elective hours in order to take BIOSC 222/223; however, Human Anatomy and Physiology is just too demanding to count as an elective. I suggest that BIOSC 222/223 should be allowed to count towards the Advanced Science requirement. The Microbiology curriculum contains a 15 hour requirement for Advanced Sciences. To fulfill these 15 hours a student can take any science course above the sophmore level, except for a microbiology course, with their advisor’s approval. The problem with including BIOSC 222/223 in the Advanced Science category is that many advisors tell studnets that this is not an option. The purpose of the Advanced Science requirement is to “culture” and broaden the interests of the student. I believe that BIOSC 222/223 will “culture” Microbiology students entering the health profession by opening their eyes and minds to the medical field they are preparing to embark in. I suggest that advisors allow their students to take BIOSC 222/223 to fulfill eight hours of the Advanced Science requirement.

TECHNICAL WRITING FOR MICROBIOLOGY STUDENTS

Microbiology deals with the “study of bacteria, viruses, yeasts, filamentous fungi, protozoa, and unicellular algae” (Undergraduate Catalog, 2005). As a senior in the microbiology program, my goal is to utilize technical writing to study and describe “structures, functions, and processes of reproduction, growth, and death” of these microorganisms at both the cellular and molecular levels (Undergraduate Catalog, 2005). The Microbiology major provides a thorough training in the basic microbiological skills, especially in a laboratory environment. While the core of my classes have focused heavily on chemistry, physics, and biochemistry, the curriculum has offered opportunities to culture my other interests, such as psychology and sociology, through a wide choice of electives. Training in technical writing is provided through numerous laboratory reports and in class PowerPoint presentations. I believe the Microbiology curriculum, as it stands now, adequately prepares students for the research field; however, students headed to medical school, dental school, or nursing school require more knowledge about the human body to be an effective technical writer. To investigate what type of technical writing will be valuable in the Nursing field, it is essential that I define technical writing and what it means to be a technical writer. Technical writing is a tool for the purpose of conveying information to a specific audience. In a learning environment, this audience is your teacher and peers. The Microbiology program encourages students to participate in a specified 491 class, such as Microbiology or Genetics. The 491 program allows students to work under a professor and develop a research project. Students have the opportunity to write, publish, and present their research throughout the year. To excel in a 491 class, technical writing is extremely important. Information must follow a structure that best represents the facts in a clear and concise form. Technical writing is simply another form of communication through which information is given or exchanged. “The goal of technical writing is to enable readers to use new technology or understand a process or concept” (Alred, 1996). When 491 students present their results at a forum they must translate technical information into easily understandable language for a diverse, but educated audience utilizing a direct, exact, and clear style of communicating. The speaker must assume that the audience has limited background knowledge on their topic. Because their audience may not be familiar with the procedures or background information described in the report or presentation, clear visuals and simple layout design will enhance the audience’s understanding. The first step to preparing an informative 491 project is to research and evaluate data. Then the information must be molded and presented in a way that is comprehendible to the intended reader of the poster or audience of the presentation. Technical refers to a specialized, structured way of writing, where information is formatted and shaped to make reading as precise, concise, and enjoyable as possible. To be a successful technical writer you must skillfully choose the right words and the most effective way to communicate your message. Through numerous laboratory reports and PowerPoint presentations I have mastered the technical writing required to be a microbiology student. Below I would like to highlight a few courses that have been very beneficial to developing technical writing skills in the Microbiology program.

COMMUNICATION 250

The Microbiology curriculum already requires students to take Communication 250. Reflecting on the skills and knowledge acquired from this course, I believe that this course is vital to the Microbiology degree. Because of my experience in Communication 250 I was equipped to organize and present my microbiology 491 research project clearly and confidently. In Communication 250 the point was stressed repeatedly to always have a purpose to your message because communication conveys facts, opinions, and suggestions to other people. In a high stress environment, such as a hospital, having a purpose to your message that you can convey quickly and efficiently will make you a more successful communicator and technical writer. Communications skills form the core of technical writing. According to the Society for Technical Communication (STC), “communication means to give or exchange information.” This broad definition covers all careers. Communication is a process because it is “always changing” and “always in motion.” There are many ways to communicate; however, Communiction 250 sharpened two different types of communication. Through the presentation of informative, persuasive, and descriptive speeches, Communication 250 strengthen my oral communication skills. By writing and organizing these speeches, my written communication and technical writing skills improved. As a nurse, oral communication skills will be useful to impress and comfort the patients I will be caring for. Written communication skills will help the doctors and other nurses to quickly and efficiently take care of the patient. The STC also divides communication into three main types: “technical, news media, and interpersonal.” Out of these three, I believe that the one type of communication that is most important as a nurse is interpersonal communication. “Interpersonal communication pertains our ability to connect with other people through a discussion of thoughts and feelings in which our ability to listen is just as important as our ability to talk.” I would have rephrased this definition, but I believe it drives the importance of communication home. Communication 250 teaches students to listen and to discuss what others are communicating, as well as communicate our own message. After a student gives a speech, peers offer constructive criticism. The professor also writes suggestions for improvement and praise for the skills the student mastered. This will benefit future nurses and doctors when they communicate with co-workers, patients, and a patient’s family.

ENGLISH 314

English 314 is also a rewarding course required to obtain a degree in Microbiology. The assisgnments are extremely useful and will benefit a student years after graduation. English 314 requires students to define technical writing and what it means in their chosen profession. Requirements include writing an advice and information letter, creating two different resumes, and meeting with a professional in your field to ask for advice. Every student should be required to take this class during their senior year because it prepares you to take your first step into the real world. Based on this course, I believe my chances of acceptance into the Accelerated BSN/MSN program at MUSC have tremendously increased.

IMPORTANCE OF TECHNICAL WRITING IN HEALTH CARE

The most beneficial assisgnment in English 314 requires students to interview a professional in their future field. I interviewed Staci Sinex, an intensive care nurse at MUSC in Charleston, SC. When questioned about writing and communication in a hospital environment she replied that clear communication is extremely vital. Throughout the interview I noticed that writing is a key tool for effective communication in a hospital. For example, when a doctor calls in an order, the nurse writes down the instructions and then repeats them back to the doctor to prevent miscommunication. However, frequently the nurses fail to repeat the order because they are in a hurry, distracted, or confident they understood which can led to medical errors. The American Hospital Association cites a common factor that contributes to medical errors: “miscommunication of drug orders.” The miscommunication can involve poor handwriting, confusion between drugs with similar names, misuse of zeroes and decimal points, confusion of metric and other dosing units and inappropriate abbreviations.” Staci informed me that nurses are required to take a medical terminology class to learn and understand medical abbreviations. In addition, nurses are only allowed to use approved abbreviations. Doctors are notorious for horrible handwriting; therefore, nurses must make sure that the physician writes a clear, legible order. Also, nurses must objectively write everything in the patient’s chart. There is a saying in the medical community that “if it wasn’t charted it wasn’t done.” Each write-up in the chart must be concise and thorough. If a high blood pressure is written down, the nurse must sight what actions she took-even if it was just to inform the doctor. Every conversation between the nurse and the patient’s family must be noted. When a nurse teaches a family member how perform a task, they must fill out a form. The nurse must state if the family member understood what they were taught or if they need more supervision. Writing everything in the patient’s chart can also protect you in court. The Society for Technical Communication also points out that communication across language barriers can be difficult. In a hospital there are many people that do not speak English. The RN I interviewed informed me that many patients speak Spanish; therefore, a few courses in Spanish would be beneficial. As you can tell, this in depth interview was very beneficial to understanding the importance of technical writing in nursing.

CONCLUSION

The Society for Technical Communication defines technical communication as “the process of gathering information from experts and presenting it to an audience in a clear, easily understandable form.” When writing a microbiology or chemistry lab report or presenting research about desert inhabiting methylotrophic bacteria, an expereinced technical writer can explain a complicated subject so that almost anyone can understand. Based on the 491 program, Communication 250, and English 314, I believe the Microbiology curriculum effectively prepares students for technical writing in their future profession. However, the majority of Microbiology students plan to enter the health care field after graduation and require the knowledge acquired from Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II to be an effective technical writer. Exposure to the information provided in these courses will improve technical writing in medical, dental, or nursing school. I strongly urge the Microbiology department to add BIOSC 222 and 223 to the course curriculum.