Evaluation of the Master’s curriculum for elderly nursing: a qualitative study

Abstract

BackgroundImproving the quality of health care and rehabilitation for the elderly is one of the most important priorities of the health care system. Given the importance of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of any program after its implementation, this study was conducted to identify the advantages and weaknesses of a geriatric nursing program at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.MethodsThis was a qualitative study, and the study population comprised students, graduates, and professors of geriatric nursing at the Master of Science level. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and focus groups. Sixteen interviews were conducted. The interview guide was used as a research tool. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data.ResultsThree main themes including “motivation to enter geriatric nursing”, “lack of employment groundwork”, and “lack of practical implementation of the curriculum” were the main findings of the study.ConclusionEfforts to restructure the administrative system and employment can deter geriatric nursing students from simply earning a degree and actually encourage them to learn the required content. Appraisal and improvement of education facilities for student recruitment can guarantee the practical implementation of the curriculum. Drafting policies to attract graduates in clinical environments, opening up employment opportunities, providing organizational positions for the recruitment of this group, as well as dedicating some wards for elderly special care and providing nursing care to elderly people only can increase students’ motivation to learn and their hopes of good job prospects.

Evaluation of a consulting training course for international development assistance for health

“…Additionally, evaluation is an essential step in the building of a curriculum or program [ 17 – 20 ]. As one of the earliest training courses in China, it is necessary to conduct an evaluation of the training program [ 21 ]. This paper describes the process and evaluation of the training, including satisfaction assessment, self-ratings of knowledge and skills, and a follow-up interview of application after 3 months of the course.…”

The barriers and facilitators of developing clinical competence among master’s graduates of gerontological nursing: a qualitative descriptive study

“…A study reported that students’ motives for choosing gerontological nursing as a field of study were their motivation to have a higher degree, their motivation to have better access to more career advancement opportunities, and the greater likelihood of successfully passing the entrance exam of the gerontological nursing master’s course. These motives result in superficial learning and limited competence for elderly care [ 43 ]. Routine-based practice was the other subcategory of the students’ neglectfulness towards learning main category in the present study.…”

Development and psychometric testing of the Gerontological Nursing Competence (GeroNursingCom) instrument

“…As diverse competencies are required across different areas of health care, the presented instrument could be used to assess whether each nursing student has developed the right competencies to provide high‐quality geriatric care. These competence evaluations could also be used to develop education; for example, evidence from numerous evaluations may highlight that a nursing curriculum should focus on certain skills necessary in geriatric care (Ghaffari et al., 2016; Hsieh & Chen, 2018).…”