Curricular Trends in Accredited Generic Baccalaureate Nursing Programs Across the United States

Abstract

Rapid technological advances in health care delivery, changes in health care financing, and the increasing number of elderly in the American population have resulted in dramatic alterations in the nature and scope of health care, the needs of health care consumers, and the practice of nursing. A descriptive research study was conducted with 113 respondents from accredited generic baccalaureate nursing programs across the continental United States and the Virgin Islands to determine the presence or absence of current health care emphases and essential nursing knowledge and skills in professional nurse education curricula. Findings revealed that, with few exceptions (e.g., computer literacy, economics, legal issues), content addressing current health care emphases and essential knowledge was integrated within one or more required courses in most nursing curricula. Differences were noted in the teaching strategies used by different types of nursing programs and in different locations.

Stress-Associated Factors among Nursing Students In Higher Education in East Malaysia

“…According to Evans and Kelly (2004), nursing students face the same stressors as other college students, including midterm and final exams, tasks, and study papers. According to Johnson (1995) and Forbes & Hickey (2009), as technology and patient health acuity increase, the nursing curriculum faces challenges in maintaining relevance and currency based on theoretical expertise and clinical judgment skills. Students are introduced to chronically ill patients and others who are acutely sick, and they must be competent in caring for all groups of patients.…”