CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GERONTOLOGY CURRICULUM AT SELECTED SMALL BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAMS.
Contributors: Northern Illinois University.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 120
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Gerontology.
Description: The purpose of this study was to describe the gerontology curriculum at small baccalaureate nursing programs (BSN). The population consisted of 112 BSN programs that had graduated 25 or fewer students in 1989-90. Small BSN programs were studied because they annually graduate 13% of basic BSN students.

This study determined that 8% of classroom time was devoted to gerontology nursing, while three times as much clinical time was spent with older adults. The majority of faculty did not have academic gerontology preparation. Most programs integrated gerontology nursing content, rather than requiring a separate course. Twenty-eight percent of the programs required a gerontology nursing textbook, while the remained utilized general nursing texts in medical-surgical, fundamentals, community health, psychiatry, and health assessment. Most programs taught all 16 gerontology content areas highlighted in the American Nurses' Association 1986 curriculum study. Hospitals, home health, and nursing homes were predominately used for clinical experiences with older adults. Less than 5% of the programs utilized a wellness setting for their students' initial gerontology experience.

It was concluded that most small BSN programs needed to strengthen their gerontology curriculum. Recommendations included faculty development, content expansion, ongoing coordination by a gerontology nursing committee, and initial student experiences with healthy older adults.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-02, Section: B, page: 0371.

Thesis (ED.D.)--NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, 1993.

School code: 0162.