A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GRADUATES OF TWO NURSING CURRICULA, ONE INTEGRATED AND ONE DISCRETE, RELATED TO UNITY OF THE CLIENT/PATIENT, ROLE TRANSITION AND CREATIVITY
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if any statistically significant differences could be identified between recent graduates of two baccalaureate schools of nursing, one using an integrated curriculum, the other a discrete curriculum. Review of the literature revealed that it has been said that graduates of integrated curricula should hold a more holistic view of the client/patient cared for, be more creative and experience an easier transition from the role of nursing student to that of graduate nurse than the graduate of more traditionally organized curricula. There has been little report of investigation to support or reject these claims. The three research hypotheses in this study were that there would be no significant differences between graduates of the two curricula in (1) their perception of the wholeness or unity of clients/patients cared for; (2) the ease or difficulty encountered in the transition from the role of nursing student to that of graduate nurse; and (3) in creativity in nursing practice. A post-test only control group design was used. The tool was a questionnaire developed by the investigator which was mailed to graduates of the generic programs of both schools of nursing approximately four months following graduation. The response rate was 76% (135) of which 123 were usable. Statistical analysis employed the Mann-Whitney U test and elaboration. The null hypothesis related to role transition was rejected (p = .0005) as analysis revealed that 47% of graduates of the discrete curriculum experienced a "difficult" transition into role of graduate nurse compared with 74% of graduates of the integrated curriculum. The remaining two hypotheses were retained; p = .9757 for perception of wholeness of client/patient; p = .2588 for creativity. Other factors introduced into the analysis were rank in high school graduating class, socio-economic status, duration of employment as a graduate nurse, type of employing agency and mode of nursing care used in employing agency.
This paper has been withdrawn.