ACCREDITATION-RELATED SELF-STUDY IN ALLIED HEALTH AND NURSING EDUCATION.
Contributors: Rutgers University.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 197
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.
Description: The concept of self-study as a process where information is gathered on a program-its resources, processes and outcomes-with the ultimate goal of bringing about improvement is fairly new to specialized accreditation processes. Although the notion that self-study should directly result in improvements which can enhance the life of a program has been argued for by many, the practice of self-study in specialized accreditation review processes has not been systematically studied. The purpose of this study was to describe the actual practice of self-study undertaken for specialized accreditation in selected health education settings and to determine what factors were related to perceived success or lack of it in self-study processes.

The research method was descriptive, using survey research instruments and content analysis. The sample was comprised of 300 programs drawn from six different accrediting groups-four Boards of Review under the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) and two Councils for Accreditation under the National League for Nursing (NLN). The response rate was 73 percent.

The major conclusions were as follows: some respondents reported that internal motivation for self-study occurred at the beginning of the self-study while others indicated that it emerged later in the process. Despite this difference, more definite program improvement was perceived to occur when internal motivation (for program improvement purposes) was present and less program improvement was perceived to occur when the motivation was entirely external (for public accountability purposes).

Three other factors were found to be related to perceived program inprovement: the degree to which program goals and achievement, and program organization and administration were studied; and the amount of time used to complete the self-study. When program goals and achievement, and program organization and administration were studied extensively more improvement was perceived to occur. When greater than 12 months was used to complete the self-study, definite improvement was perceived to occur and when less than 12 months was spent on the process, less improvement was perceived to occur.

Implications for practice and areas for further research were indicated.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-09, Section: B, page: 2596.

Thesis (ED.D.)--RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY - NEW BRUNSWICK, 1987.

School code: 0190.