A Study on Curriculum Development for Fundamentals of Nursing at the Graduate Level

Chang, Sung Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to develop a curriculum model for fundamentals of nursing at the graduate level which reflects a consensus of educators and the students in Korean nursing society. METHOD: A survey was used with three groups to identify consensus on a curriculum model for fundamentals of nursing at the graduate level; 42 educators in fundamentals of nursing, 11 nurse educators whose major was not fundamentals of nursing and 70 nurses with a bachelor degree in nursing. RESULTS: Consensus on a curriculum model at the graduate level were delineated from analysis of the survey. Based on these results, a curriculum model for fundamentals of nursing at the graduate level is outlined: As one major area of nursing, fundamentals of nursing focuses on nursing practice based on basic human needs. Thus main focus of the curriculum for fundamentals of nursing at the graduate level is research performance and theory development on nursing interventions to meet basic human needs in clinical settings. CONCLUSIONS: A curriculum model for fundamentals of nursing at the graduate level suggests that its application may have a positive impact on development of distinct knowledge body for fundamentals of nursing that will differentiate the content of education for undergraduate and graduate levels of nursing. However, the suggestion for the curriculum model needs to be refined and developed for application.