CARING CONTENT AND EXPERIENCES AS COMPONENTS OF BACCALAUREATE NURSING CURRICULA: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 238
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Education.; Education, Higher.
Description: The purpose of this study is to ascertain the caring content and experiences included as components of baccalaureate nursing curricula.

A phenomenological design was used for this study, with a convenience sample of 26 faculty and 32 senior nursing students, from 5 NLN accredited baccalaureate schools of nursing. Each school used caring as a central theme in the program's conceptual framework.

Data were collected from written curricular documents and personal open ended group audio-taped interviews with the faculty members and students from each school. The interviews focused on descriptions of caring and how it was taught in the nursing curriculum. Colaizzi's method of phenomenological analysis was used to develop common themes and an exhaustive description of caring content and experiences in these schools of nursing.

Eight themes emerged reflecting caring content: (a) content labeled as caring; (b) caring about self and others; (c) holistic care; (d) attributes of caring; (e) skills emphasizing caring component; (f) nursing process; (g) research on caring; and (h) scope of nurse caring role. Five themes emerged reflecting caring experiences: (a) organizational plan of the curriculum; (b) caring as a program expectation; (c) specific learning experiences reflecting caring; (d) strategies used to teach/learn caring; and (e) role modeling in teaching caring.

The results of this study suggest that caring content and learning experiences are derived from an existential humanistic or religious philosophical framework promoting the worth, dignity, and growth of human beings as the foundation for caring. These philosophical beliefs direct the faculty in content selection, development of learning experiences and approaches to teaching. Faculty role modeling is a key to effectively teach caring. The internalization of caring values and transfer of caring behaviors by students into clinical practice were among the curricular outcomes.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-06, Section: B, page: 2122.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1988.

School code: 0227.