Nursing educators in two-year programs are resisting efforts by educators in four-year nursing programs to lobby state legislatures to require all new registered nurses to hold bachelor's degrees. Two-year advocates cite their graduates' superior performance on the profession's standardized entrance exam, whereas four-year advocates cite…

A coalition of community agencies and a nursing school involves nursing students in nontraditional delivery of health-care services to the elderly. Elders report satisfaction with the program but not as much ownership, despite the goal of involving them in program planning and evaluation. (SK)

A survey of 187 nurse practitioners found that more than 80% had Internet access, 71% had adequate computer skills, and 50% were interested in online continuing education. The data were used to design web-based interactive self-study modules on clinical practice issues. (SK)

A survey of 152 employers and 140 nurse educators (28% from high managed care states) rated graduating nurses as competent in patient care but deficient in business-of-nursing competencies, although they considered the latter less important. However, employers in high managed care states were particularly concerned with business competencies. (SK)

Investigates effective technology-based education in the field of nursing in South Africa. Specifically describes and analyzes the results of an experiment to assess the value of using specialized hands-on equipment in nurse training and education as an addition to current computer-based training systems. (Author/WRM)

Internet and Web-based technology might help nurse educators prepare students for the complex health care system and reduce costs. The following barriers must be overcome: limited access in rural areas; student costs for technology; technophobia and computer anxiety; legal, moral, and ethical issues; and information overload. (SK)

Examines commitment levels of nursing home workers and explored the association between commitment and seven characteristics, such as styles of teamwork. Results indicate that styles of teamwork, educational background, and role clarity were significantly associated with commitment. Differences in the commitment levels across these variables were…

A literature review and a survey indicated that nursing students had difficulty developing psychomotor skills. A British college established a skills center with a structured learning approach to remedy the problem. (SK)

The success of the change from vocational training to academic education for nurses in Sweden depends on faculty competence. Observations at three Swedish nursing schools and interviews with 59 nurse educators identified strategies educators used to maintain teaching competence: being "real" nurses, being prepared in different subjects,…

Supports findings from a 1996 meeting of two school health organizations that there is a need for additional research on school nursing, reviewing existing research, describing the group process used to establish a research agenda on school nursing, presenting results of the process, and offering recommendations for the next steps to be taken by…

Dominant trends in health care that will affect nursing education include the following: growth of the health care labor force, economics, movement away from acute-care hospitals, managed care, demographic change, information technology, and replacement of nurses with unlicensed assistants. (JOW)

The way competence is construed in Britain's National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) has little use in nursing education because education differs from training. A holistic conception of competence that facilitates critical thinking is preferable to NVQs' emphasis on outcomes over processes. (SK)

Describes a collaboration between planners of a student-centered, modular nursing curriculum and library and information services staff, which resulted in directed reading lists, study packages, and development of library and information skills. (SK)

A South African nursing school's problem-based undergraduate curriculum is based on experiential learning with collective and critical reflection in health care. A master's program in progressive education was implemented to prepare educators of health professionals to teach this new curriculum. (SK)

Adoption of web-based learning has inherent difficulties that are often downplayed: the potential for reinforcing socioeconomic divisions, when home computers become a requirement; gender issues in access and use; and the focus in computer-assisted learning on efficiency rather than quality of teaching and learning. (SK)