A Study on improvement of curriculum in Nursing

Kim, Ai Sil

Abstract

This Study involved the development of a survey form and the collection of data in an effort to provide information which can be used in the improvement of nursing curricula. The data examined were the kinds courses currently being taught in the curricula of nursing-education institutions throughout Korea, credits required for course completion, and year in which courses are taken. For the purposes of this study, curricula were classified into college, nursing school and vocational shool categories. Courses were directed into the 3 major categories of general education courses, supporting science courses and professional education course, and further subdirected as. follows: 1) General education (following the classification of Philip H. phenix): a) Symbolics, b) Empirics, c) Aesthetics, d) Synnoetics, e) Ethics, f) Synoptics. 2) Supporting science: a) physical science, b) biological science, c) social science, d) behavioral science, e) Health science, f) Educations 3) Professional Education; a) basic courses, b) courses in each of the respective fields of nursing.. I. General Education aimed at developing the individual as a person and as a member of society is relatively strong in college curricula compared with the other two. a) Courses included in the category of symbolics included Korean language, English, German-Chines, Mathmatics, Statics: Economics and Computer most college curricula included 20 credits. of courses in this sub- category, while nursing schools required 12 credits and vocational schools 10 units. English ordinarily receives particularly heavy emphasis. b) Research methodology, Domestic affair and women & coustecy was included under the category of empirics in the college curricula, nursing and vocational schools do not offer this at all. c) Courses classified under aesthetics were physicaleducation, drill, music, recreation and fine arts. Most college curricula had 4 credits in these areas, nursing school provided for 2 credits, and most vocational schools offered 10 units. d) Synnoetics included leadership, interpersonal relationship, and communications, Most schools, did not offer courses of thi3 nature. e) The category of ethics included citizenship. 2 credits are provided in college curricula, while vocational schools require 4 units. Nursing schools do not offer these courses, f) Courses included under synoptics were Korean history, cultural history, philosophy, Logics, and religion. Most college curriculahad 5 credits in these areas, nursing schools 4 credits, and vocational schools 2 units. g) Only physical education was given every year in college curricula and only English was given in nursing schools and vocational schools in every of the curriculum. Most of the other courses wore given during the first year of the curriculum. II. Supporting science courses are fundamental to the practice and application of nursing theory, a) Physical science course include physics, chemistry and natural science, most colleges and nursing schools provided for 2 credits of physical science courses in their curricula, while most vocational schools did not offer t me. b)i Courses included under biological science were anatomy, physiolology, biology and biochemistry. Most college curricula provided for 15 credits of biological science, nursing schools for the most part provided for 11 credits, and most vocational schools provided for 8 units. c) Courses included under social science were sociology and anthropology. Most colleges provided '. for 1 credit in courses of this category, which most nursing schools provided for 2 crearts Most vocational schools did not provide courses of this type. d) Courses included under behavioral science were general and clinical psychology, developmental psychology, mental hygiene and guidance. Most schools did not provide for these courses. e) Courses included under health science included pharmacy and pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, nutrition and dietetcis. parasitoloey, and Chinese medicine. Most college curricula provided for 11 credits, while most nursing schools provide for 12 credits, most part provided 20 units of medical courses. f) Courses included under education included educational psychology, principles of educatoin, philosophy of education, history of education, social education, educational evaluation, educa tional curricula, class management, guidance techniques and school & community. Most college soffer 3 credits in courses in this category, while nursing schools provide 8 credits and vocational schools provide for 6 units, 50% of the colleges prepare these students to qualify as regular teachers of the second level, while 91% of the nursing schools and 60% of the vocational schools prepare their of the vocational schools prepare their students to qualify as school nurse. g) The majority of colleges start supporting science courses in the first year and complete them by the second year. Nursing schools and vocotional schools usually complete them in the first year. III. Professional Education courses are designed to develop professional nursing knowledge, attitudes and skills in the students. a) Basic courses include social nursing, nursing ethics, history of nursing professional control, nursing administration, social medicine, social welfare, introductoy nursing, advanced nursing, medical regulations, efficient nursing, nursing english and basic nursing, College curricula devoted 13 credits to these subjects, nursing schools 14 credits, and vocatioal schools 26 units indicating a severe difference in the scope of education provided. 3) There was noticeable tendency for the colleges to take a unified approach to the branches of nursing. 60% of the schools had courses in public health nursing, 80% in pediatric nursing, 60% in obstetric nursing, 90% in psychiatric nursing and 80% in medical-surgical nursing. The greatest number of schools provided 48 credites in all of these fields combined. In most of the nursing schools, 52 credits were provided for courses divided acrording to disease. In the vocational schools, unified courses are provided in public health nursing, child nursing, maternal nursing, psychiatric nursing and adult nursing. In addition, one unit is provided for one hour a week of practirce. The total number of units provided in the greatest number of vocational schools is thus 111 units double the number provided in nursing schools and colleges, c) In th Heges, the second year is devoted mainly to basic nursing courses, while the third and fourth years are used for advanced nursing courses. In nursing schools and vocational schools, the first year deals primarily with basic nursing and the second and third years are used to cover advanced nursing courses. The study yielded the following conclusions. 1. Instructional goals should be established for each courese in line with the idea of nursing, and curriculum improvements should be made accordingly. 2. Coures that fall under the synnoetics category should be strengthened and ways should be sought to develop the ability to cooperte with those who work for human welfare and health. 3. The ability fo solve problems on the basis of scientific principles and knowledge and understanding of man society should be fostered through a strengthening of courses dealing with physical sciences, social sciences and behaviorial sciences and redistribution of courses emphasizing biological and health scinces. 4. There should be more balanced curricula with less emphasis on courses in the major There is a need to establish courses necessary for the individual nurse by doing away with courses centered around specific diseases and combining them in unified courses. In addition, it is ppssible to develop skill in dealing with people by using the social setting in comprehensive training. The most efficient ratio of the study experience should be studied to provide more effective, interesting education. Elective coures should be initiated to insure a man flexible, responsive educational program. 5. The curriculm stipulated in the education law should be examined

A Study on improvement of curriculum in Nursing

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