Supporting the case for concept-based curriculum: Outcomes of a faculty survey
Rationale: The call for dramatic reform in nursing education continues to necessitate curriculum change.
Methods: This was a two part survey design observational study which took place between January and February, 2013. A list of 17 schools currently using a CBC was obtained from Pearson Publishing. A sample of 576 nurse educators teaching at those schools were identified as a potential pool of participants based on the following inclusion criteria: valid e-mail address and active teaching in an undergraduate program. A 53-item five point Likert scale survey (1 as strongly disagree and 5 as strongly agree) was emailed to their published email addresses. The survey was developed by the investigator based on the literature review and guided by Diamond’s Model. Part I of the survey measured the efficacy of Diamond’s Model in guiding the implementation of a CBC. Part II measured three priority outcomes: reduction of content, decrease in content redundancy, and improvement in student clinical decision abilities. The survey was examined for content validity by three experts, one with expertise in instrument development and two with expertise in concept-based curriculum. Psychometric analysis was performed. Cronbach’s Alpha for the instrument was .972. Institutional Review Board was obtained. Participants provided information on their teaching responsibilities, years of experience teaching in a medical / clinical model or CBC, type of program in which they taught, and their level of education.
Results: A total of 543 faculty met the inclusion criteria. 133 completed the survey (response rate 25%). Among those 50% were doctorally prepared, 34% held a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education, and 79% had combined teaching responsibilities in the classroom and clinical area. The majority (58%) taught less than 2 years using a concept-based approach and 62% taught at the baccalaureate level.
Part I of the survey measured the efficacy of Diamond’s Model in guiding the implementation of a CBC. The mean score for perceiving Diamond’s Model as efficacious in implementing a CBC was 3.65 (.72) Part II of the survey measured the effectiveness of a CBC in improving outcomes in three priority areas: the mean (and standard deviation in parenthesis) for reduction of content was 3.40 (.97); decrease in content redundancy was 3.29 (1.05), and improvement in student clinical decision abilities mean was 3.52 (.97).
Among faculty factors that influenced effective implementation were teaching in Associate Degree program (p = .03); and number of years teaching in a CBC (p = .02).
Implications: Nurse educators with appropriate preparation in education, are necessary to execute a well-planned and effective curriculum for the new nurse in practice. Experience (e.g. number of years of as an educator) does not equate with better outcomes. On-going research for outcomes comparison of new nurses who were educated in a concept-based approach is essential.