An interactive videoconference on breast cancer was presented to 277 health care professionals in hospitals. Usable pre/posttest data from 69 indicated a 21% increase in knowledge. Recommendations for videoconferencing include identifying objectives and writing test questions simultaneously and maximizing visual opportunities. (SK)

Evaluation of the National League for Nursing's 1991 Criteria for Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs using Huebner's value frameworks (technical, scientific, political, esthetic, ethical) finds the values incorporated to some degree. The new criteria shift power in curriculum design to individual nursing units, allowing adoption of…

Clear variations in career paths were found among 1984-90 nursing graduates in community college diploma (n=474), generic baccalaureate (n=328), and postdiploma baccalaureate (n=117) programs. Diploma graduates largely worked in institutional settings. Generic graduates often specialized, especially in community nursing; postdiploma graduates…

Educators must change and design nursing education programs for the average student rather than an ideal, nonexistent student. Attention should be paid to student expectations, learning style preferences, and academic ability as the student population changes. (JOW)

Conceptualizes separation-individuation conflicts in caregivers as behavior under dual control of nonverbal and verbal antecedents and consequences of others and dysfunctional self-rules of caregiver. Describes two types of treatment in context of case study: changing caregiver's problem behaviors by training nursing home staff and teaching…

Describes a nursing curriculum based on learning strategies and thinking processes rather than on content. Identifies five critical operations: (1) clinical process; (2) consultation; (3) managerial process; (4) learning; and (5) investigative process. (JOW)

Explores procedural and legal implications of the "Salve" decision in which the Supreme Court said that the court of appeals must review "de novo" the federal district court's determination of state law. (55 references) (MLF)

Nursing homes in Illinois Quality Incentive Program receive separate bonus payment per Medicaid day for achieving each of six quality standards. Of 809 participating homes (1985-88), over 90 percent of eligible facilities chose to participate annually. Success in achieving bonus payments in multiple standards increased over time, with 27 percent…

Preparation of teacher/scholars in nursing requires emphasis and value on undergraduate teaching, clinical practice, and scholarly inquiry. Collaboration with other doctoral programs and reward for teaching excellence are other ways to foster teacher/scholars. (SK)

A review of nursing literature on empathy is presented to help clarify the concept, and an analysis is given concerning the relationship of empathy to recent findings on expert caring in nursing. Vignettes are presented as illustrations of the concepts discussed. (Author/MLW)

In some instances empathy may serve as a guide to conceptualizing the patient's situation. Empathy is a dangerous notion if it is thought to be mindless, experiential, existential connectedness. Not every nurse-patient encounter will benefit from empathy; some will require theory, applied experience, or even translation or consultation. (MLW)

The nature of inquiry and its relative novelty in the nursing profession pose unique considerations related to teaching qualitative research. These considerations and teaching methods are explored as they relate to theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research, phases of the research process, evaluation of proposals and dissertations, academic…

Nurses approach the process of program accreditation from different perspectives with different strategies. These two articles offer contrasting approaches: Moccia looks at accreditation as an opportunity to improve program quality, and Strutz and Gilje explain how to prepare for a National League of Nursing self-study. (JOW)

The revised Stetler model of research utilization has six phases: preparation, validation, comparative evaluation, decision making, translation/application, and evaluation. It can be used to facilitate application of nursing research findings at the practitioner level. (JOW)

Responses from 339 undergraduate nursing programs (74%) showed that 98% included urinary incontinence content in their curricula. Although most agreed the subject was important and felt their teaching was effective, the didactic component averaged two hours, and clinical experience was not systematic; few faculty are prepared to teach this…