GAINS IN PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN THE AREA OF PLANNING OF PATIENT CARE BY REGISTERED NURSE GRADUATES IN A BACCALAUREATE COMPLETION PROGRAM (PROCESS, GENERIC).
Contributors: University of Massachusetts (System)
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 185
Subjects: Education, Higher.
Description: The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent and nature of increased planning competencies in patient care of registered nurse students from entrance to exit in a baccalaureate completion program. The study also compared the gains made with those of generic baccalaureate nursing students.

A Pre-Post test design was used to determine gains in professional nursing competencies in activities of planning for patient care. Competence was determined in reference to one filmed scenario depicting a common comprehensive patient care situation. Subjects were given the patient's record and a guide to the nursing process. They then indicated in writing their assessment, plan, implementation and evaluation of care for the designated patient. Only the plan was used as data for this study.

Results indicate gains in professional competencies in areas of planning patient care for registered nurses who pursue a baccalaureate degree in nursing. In the comparison group of generic baccalaureate nursing students, seniors nearing graduation showed a statistically significant gain over their sophomore counterparts in only one area of planning of patient care. In addition, registered nurse students had significantly higher mean scores on professional competencies upon completion than did a comparison group of graduating seniors of a traditional baccalaureate nursing program.

Findings suggest that registered nurses who have received a technical focus for basic nursing education do develop professional competencies by pursuing a baccalaureate nursing completion program.

Implications for the design of nursing education, educational mobility and the nature of the licensing examination are drawn.

Recommendations for further study and nursing education are provided.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, Section: A, page: 1527.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1985.

School code: 0118.