A CASE STUDY OF NONTRADITIONAL NURSING STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM.
Contributors: University of Rochester.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 207
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Higher.
Description: The changing characteristics of the generic baccalaureate nursing student are a growing concern for nurse educators today. This new population of students, known as the "nontraditional student" has been growing rapidly over the past decade, with very few published studies focusing on their educational needs. This research study focused on the nontraditional student and asked: Why do nontraditional students enroll in a baccalaureate nursing program?, and How do nontraditional nursing students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program and the undergraduate nursing faculty perceive the nontraditional students' learning needs and factors that impact these needs?.

A case study approach was used for this study. It was conducted with nontraditional senior nursing students at the University of Rochester's School of Nursing and the undergraduate nursing faculty. Methods of data collection included interviews and document reviews. Data were analyzed using a qualitative research approach and interrater reliability was established.

The results of the study showed that the criterion of age (greater than 25 years) was not a strong predictor for determining the perceptions of how students learn the best or for factors impacting learning. Criteria of marital status, responsibility for dependents and previous careers/degrees, however, were associated with perceptions for learning needs and impacting factors.

The majority of both the student and faculty group agreed that differences existed in the learning needs between nontraditional and traditional students. The faculty and students held different perceptions about teaching methods and role of the teacher while expressing similar perceptions about testing methods, use of past experiences and the learning environment.

Positive factors perceived as impacting learning included: supports, certain teaching methods, a non-threatening learning environment that abounded with collaboration and mutual respect and trust, and development of skills in time management, organization, studying and priority setting. Numerous negative factors identified included family commitments, role conflict, time commitment, finances and any learning activity that created more stress on time or family.

The majority of faculty and students stated that the curriculum should change or the process of curriculum implementation should be changed to facilitate the needs of the nontraditional students. Final comments from students as compared with faculty indicated a lack of communication between the two groups and a difference in perceived support.

The majority of the data supported current theories of adult learning and characteristics of the adult learner except for the students' perceptions of the best teaching methodologies and role of the teacher. Propositions are made about these similarities and differences.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-05, Section: B, page: 2543.

Thesis (ED.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, 1995.

School code: 0188.