The purpose of this article is to report on a national survey of the 51 state boards of examiners in the United States that govern and regulate nursing education. Data were gathered from the written rules and regulations of each of the state agencies, and content analysis was performed focusing on the following categories: qualifications (State board members, program directors, faculty, and preceptors); roles and responsibilities (state board members, faculty, preceptors, and clinical agencies); and process and content of the nursing education curriculum and program. Findings of the study indicate specific problem areas in the regulating of basic nursing education programs. The following were among the major issues identified: (1) educational qualifications for board membership are virtually nonexistent, (2) in many situations different requirements exist for various types of programs, and (3) there is great disparity from state to state regarding both the content deemed as necessary in nursing education and in the mandated process of that education. The investigators noted that several patterns lend credence to a need for a national plan regarding the state regulation of basic nursing education.

Curriculum↗

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Activities and interactions of baccalaureate nursing students in clinical practica.

Basic nursing education is governed by individual state rules and regulations lacking in uniformity across the United States and based on unstated and perhaps mistaken assumptions. At the same time, there is increasing evidence of problems and difficulties with the current traditional model of nursing education. Before proposing changes in said model, the authors chose to examine what it is that a nursing student does in a clinical area. The perspective of activities and interactions was chosen to illustrate, through a nonparticipant observation study, the patterns and utilization of time during a scheduled clinical experience for baccalaureate nursing students. The goal of the study was to determine who, other than the client/patient, influences the student learning at the clinical site and how learning time is spent. Two schools (one private and one public) and nine clinical sites with 37 observations were used to collect the data for this study. Findings are best summarized in four (overlapping) categories of school time, registered nurse (RN) staff time, hospital staff time, and supervised time. School time, or time spent interacting with the instructor, another student, and/or the student on his/her own in the practice setting (time exclusive of staff input) constituted 84 per cent of all time. RN staff time that was time spent with either the primary nurse or other RNs on the unit used 10 per cent of the student time, Fourteen per cent of student time was spent in hospital staff time, which includes interactions with any nursing staff or other hospital personnel.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clinical Competence↗

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Organizational structure: blueprint for action.

"Organizational structure is the way a group is formed and the way it functions." The authors describe the successful revision of the structure of one school. Its change process and outcome can serve as a blueprint for action for other schools that are changing or considering changing their organizational structure.

Connecticut↗

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The clinical teaching partnership.

Nursing educators have struggled to find the optimal solution for students' clinical learning. The authors discuss a potential avenue to address this problem. Through the combined efforts of a hospital-based clinical nurse specialist and a university-based faculty member, the authors promoted effective learning for their students. Their combined strengths resulted in a positive experience for students, staff, and the instructors.

Clinical Competence↗

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The Antley-Bixler syndrome: two new cases.

The Antley-Bixler syndrome is a rare multiple congenital anomaly with a high mortality rate. The characteristic manifestations include craniosynostosis, radiohumeral synostosis, midface hypoplasia, joint contractures and arachnodactyly. We report two new cases of this syndrome and address the diagnostic features, associated malformations, inheritance patterns, prenatal findings, and briefly review the literature.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

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Nurses' views on sexuality. Why, what, and how to change.

What practicing professional nurses believe about the sexual functioning of their patients has a direct influence on the patients' psychological well being. A preliminary investigation identifying some of nurses' beliefs demonstrated their attitudes and knowledge about the effects of chronic disease on sexuality. Staff development educators can assist nursing staff to change attitudes and improve knowledge through an educational program outlined in this article.

Adult↗