Responses from 222 of 304 nursing master's programs indicated that 66% require theses or research projects; 16% used comprehensive exams to measure research ability. Theses and projects differed in terms of nature of supervision, individual versus group structure, and amount of student participation. (SK)

Nine public-health nurses studying part time and 11 other nurses sampled their mood states randomly over seven days. The part-time student role created additional strain for nurses with children. The stress of managing multiple roles was greatest when both work and nonwork role responsibilities were heavy. (SK)

The identification of nursing interventions that are core to each clinical specialty will be useful in the development of nursing information systems, staff education programs and evaluations, referral networks, certification and licensing examinations, curricula, and research and theory construction. (Author/JOW)

A professional self-concept instrument was completed by 127 nursing students, including masters' candidates and three groups of undergraduates. Professional self-concept appeared to strengthen as students proceeded through the academic hierarchy. (SK)

Twelve nursing students served as peer leaders during clinical rotation. Self-evaluations identified educational benefits: practice in prioritizing, enhancement of critical thinking and technical skills, awareness of peers as resources, and development of management skills. (SK)

Discusses the potential of focus groups to address balance of power and empowerment issues in nursing research. Explains the need to involve diverse stakeholders in curriculum development, student evaluation, and appraisals of students' perceptions of their experiences. (Contains 52 references.) (SK)

Project LINC (Ladders in Nursing Careers), a New York project to provide career advancement opportunities to disadvantaged nurses' aides and licensed practical nurses, was replicated in Iowa and North Dakota. Success factors included clear mission, organizational learning, learning contracts, financial aid, and shared commitment. Implications were…

Nursing students used a research module either in self-study groups (n=6) or class sessions (n=6). There were few differences in knowledge or attitudes. Overall, the ratings were higher for those in the taught class rather than self-study. (SK)

Purpose: Nursing facilities with nurse practitioners or physician assistants (NPs or PAs) have been reported to provide better care to residents. Assuming that freestanding nursing homes in urban areas that employ these professionals are making an investment in medical infrastructure, we test the hypotheses that facilities in states with higher…

To be successful in nursing courses, students must be able to read and comprehend a large volume of information. This requires different types of reading and study skills from other courses to which they have been exposed. The formal teaching of these skills in a nursing course takes second place to the teaching of required nursing skills. Because…

Literature has shown that considerations of learning styles are important in the educational process of health professionals. Among other variables, differences of learning styles may be influenced by language, culture, and heritage. The purpose of this study was to describe the learning styles of nursing students at an Hispanic-serving…

Objective: To explore the attitudes of nursing students and faculty toward people who are homeless. Methods: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 377 students and 45 faculty using attitude and knowledge scales. Results: Attitudes ranged from neutral to positive. Frequency of contact with people who were homeless and knowledge about…

Focus group research is an effective way for school nurses to gain knowledge about a diverse range of issues that children in schools may face. It is a means to gather information about perceptions, feelings, points of view, and manners of thinking from a group of individuals about a specific topic. This article overviews focus groups as a…

Community college administrators and state regulatory bodies assess associate degree nursing programs on a continual basis. In their quest to evaluate the programs, they rely heavily on the "first time pass rate" reports on the standard licensing test: NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). A closer look at the use of this…

A considerable number of students undertaking pre-registration nurse education in the UK are international students from Zimbabwe. The traditional strength of nursing education in Zimbabwe itself has been the large labour pool available for recruitment into the programmes. However, the numbers of recruits to UK nursing courses from Zimbabwe…