Directors of family nurse practitioner education programs (n=141) reported inclusion of some complementary/alternative medicine content (CAM), most commonly interviewing patients about CAM, critical thinking, evidence-based medicine, laws, ethics, and spiritual/cultural beliefs. Definition of CAM was medically, not holistically based. More faculty…

Web-based learning can be liberating and enhance autonomy and reflection. However, new forms of computer-based learning also have the potential for panoptic surveillance and control of students, practices that are inimical to the values and philosophy of nursing education. (Contains 37 references.) (SK)

Describes how psychodrama, forum theatre, and other forms of drama can facilitate active learning, develop empathy and reflective skills, and foster emotional intelligence in nursing education. Contains 21 references. (SK)

Focus groups of 100 nurse educators and survey responses from 107 at a national convention revealed overwhelming agreement that nursing curricula do not adequately address violence and that faculty are not prepared to teach violence assessment and abuse reporting, despite agreement that it is a high-priority issue. (SK)

Observation of 15 nursing students and 15 clinical supervisors in primary care settings revealed that student learning was holistic and meaningful when patient-oriented approaches were used. However, many settings used task-centered approaches, resulting in fragmented learning. (SK)

The Indiana University School of Nursing uses a definition for critical thinking that is more operational than theoretical. It elaborates defining characteristics for six critical thinking competencies: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. (SK)

Notes nursing education is supposed to facilitate both personal and professional development, but inattention to self-assessment limits the former. Problems with self-assessment include conflicts between student self-ratings and teacher evaluations of students, focus on professional demands instead of the whole person, and differences in…

Looks at the ways in which computer networks are changing health care and nursing education. Discusses the increasing importance of Internet-based education, widely distributed interactive multimedia learning, and information management skills. (SK)

Outlines contributions of Dewey, Rogers, and Knowles to the humanist perspective in nursing education and Freire's sociological challenge to it. Raises issues of whose interests are served by humanist ideology and how the humanist model operates as a form of social control. (SK)

A clinical guide is an experienced nurse who supports nursing students throughout the program, particularly in clinical placements. More than a mentor, a guide is fully involved in promoting deep learning in clinical settings. (SK)

A refresher course to facilitate the return of inactive nurses to the work force included a weighted admission system, didactic content, simulated laboratory experiences, and precepted clinical experiences. Recommendations for future course implementation included a systematic evaluation of each participant's knowledge base at the beginning of the…

Hermeneutic analysis of interviews with 17 new nursing educators yielded insights about the process of learning to lecture. The process includes being open to reflection, attending to learning, reading class situations, unlearning teacher preparation, and challenging the assumptions of conventional pedagogy. (Contains 31 references.) (SK)

Responses from 198 of 400 British nurses who mentor students showed that mentors felt supported by colleagues but less so by managers or universities. They wanted more time for mentoring, closer links with the universities, and better assessment documentation. Mentor update sessions were often not attended, due to staff shortages or lack of…

Of four groups of medical-surgical nurses, 55 took one final and three midterm written exams, 150 took one each (written), 45 took an oral final, 92 took both written and oral, and 47 took a written test with licensure questions and an oral final. Oral exams resulted in higher scores, more effective study habits, and increased application. (SK)

A literature review suggested differences in men's and women's ways of knowing that may influence recruitment of male nursing students. Retention strategies include critical thinking, gender-neutral classrooms, learning styles, role models, and counseling. (Contains 30 references.) (SK)