Health Care Delivery System Influences Changes in Nursing Educational Materials

Abstract

The changing health care delivery system has affected nursing care delivery models. To meet the needs of these shifting sands, health-related professions must examine curricula preparing new graduates. An exploratory, descriptive survey design was employed to discover motivators for and types of curricular changes occurring in nursing programs and determine what supportive educational materials are needed. One hundred sixty-seven (26%) of the 651 surveys mailed to a sample of the whole of U.S. baccalaureate nursing programs were returned. Relationships between and among categories of nominal data culled from the participants' experiences were compared using nonparametric statistics. Findings demonstrated why and what changes were made and what educational materials are needed to support new curricula. Results also indicated that blurring of boundaries between community and general acute care nursing is necessary, and changes throughout curricula, including educational materials, must reflect the real-life community aspects of the health care needs of all individuals.

Criteria for Defining Authorship: Equally Important for Textbooks and Educational Resources

“…While publication in refereed journals might be regarded as the gold standard in publication, textbooks and other educational resources are regarded as important components of the quality teaching required to produce graduate professionals with the skills, expertise, and enthusiasm to contribute to a high standard of care in health services (Baldwin, Conger, Maycock & Abegglen 2002). Unfortunately, the importance of these works is not readily appreciated within academic circles.…”

Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Their Development of Clinical Reasoning

“…Instructors must recognize that each student is an individual and should be treated with respect for what they bring to the profession(Candela & Bowles, 2008). members who graduated nursing school two decades ago.Healthcare itself is more technologically advanced and education should reflect the real world of nursing practice(Baldwin, 2002; Institute of Medicine, 2003).Instruction in the classroom, simulation, and clinical environments should be based on the evidence in actual practice and students should be guided through actual situations to develop clinical reasoning for safe practice. Expectations for student learning in the clinical setting should be well communicated between students, instructors, and staff nurses in order to ensure the best possible experience.…”