PRESENT AND DESIRED COMPUTER COMPETENCIES OF GRADUATES OF MASTER'S DEGREE NURSING PROGRAMS AS PERCEIVED BY NURSING ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS.
Contributors: Illinois State University.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 178
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Higher.; Education, Administration.
Description: The technetronic revolution of today permeates all of society. For nursing and nursing education, the demand for the development of computer literacy at all levels of nursing education is clearly evident. Little literature exists which addresses the delineation of computer education content at the master's level.

A self-administered, mailed questionnaire developed by researcher was mailed to academic administrators of all master's in nursing programs accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN). The sample consisted of the 115 (73.7%) responding academic administrators. Respondents were asked to provide information regarding: (a) selected institutional and respondent characteristics, (b) perceptions of present and desired computer competencies of master's graduates of nursing programs, and (c) perceptions of present and desired implementation strategies for instruction on computer technology at the master's level.

A combination of descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized in data analysis. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, t-tests for independent samples, chi square, contingency coefficients, and other related statistics were utilized as appropriate when examining the relationships between the variables.

Administrators agreed that four competencies presently characterize master's graduates: (a) use of microcomputers, (b) use word-processing programs, (c) understand copyright regarding computers, and (d) search literature using computers. Agreement on desired computer competencies included these four plus another 28 competencies. A direct, positive correlation between the perceptions of present and desired computer competencies for master's graduates was found.

No one implementation strategy for instruction on computer technology was favored as the present strategy. Administrators agreed on the desirability of three of the strategies: (a) prerequisite, non-nursing course with integration in nursing course work, (b) integration only, and (c) required nursing course with integration. Administrators were more likely to view strategies presently utilized as desirable.

When examining the relationship between selected demographic variables and perceptions of computer competencies and implementation strategies, various cases evidenced significance; however, no discernible pattern emerged.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-09, Section: B, page: 4275.

Thesis (PH.D.)--ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, 1990.

School code: 0092.