Evaluation of an innovative curriculum: nursing education in the next century

The present research focused on an interim evaluation of a new nursing curriculum made by first- and second-year undergraduates. Study 1 examined the assessments made by 90 students of the new, actual programme of their studies, as well as an ideal one, on 21 bipolar criteria reflecting the developing changes in health care practices and higher educational processes in western society. The results of study 1 indicated that students perceived the actual programme as compatible with health care changes, but lacking in terms of the learning process. Study 2 investigated the same assessments among 105 registered nurses who evaluated the traditional nursing programme under which they were trained as well as an ideal one. The results of study 2 showed that registered nurses perceived past curricula as lower than the ideal on both health care and process of learning. The results of this interim evaluation imply that the new nursing curriculum follows health care trends, but a shift in the educational process is required.