Concept-based curriculum????????

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Sep 6, 2009

I thought majority of Nursing was Concept based??

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 6, 2009

I graduated over 30 years ago from a school (Duke) that had recently switched to an integrated curriculum such as the one you describe. While it is always stressful to be part of a dramatic organizational change ... this type of curriculum has been around for many years. It's not new in nursing and there are many fine nurses who were educated in schools that had that type of curriculum.

We would all have the same lecture -- on certain concepts, such as loss, or fluids and electolytes, or whatever -- and then would go off and have clinicals in different areas and emphasize those concepts in whatever clinical area we were in. By the time we had graduated, we had spent some time in all the major clinical areas. We we didn't all spend the same amount of time in each, but we all were exposed to each and all learned to apply the same concepts to our practice. Such a curriculum often emphasizes how to think and solve problems more than the memorization of facts and those skills will serve you well in the long run.

I can understand your nervousness about the faculty's unfamiliarity with this type of learning. But change is common and frequent -- and there is not much you can do about it other than work with your faculty to meet their requirements and learn what you need to learn.

80sLeftover · Feb 9, 2012

Hello,

I was informed the other day by my nursing instructor that the college has changed from a content-based curriculum to a concept-based curriculum. The first class of the new curriculum started in Jan. 09. I just started this Aug 09. Just finished my first week. They no longer have a Peds clinical rotation or a Psych clinical rotation. My instructor said its been integrated. Well, I am feeling a huge amount of apprehension in regards to this new curriculum because our instructors have not taught it before and I feel like a guinea pig for lack of better words. I am scared. I hope this new curriculum will prepare us enough for the NCLEX. I guess I will have to wait and see what happens with the Jan 09 class. UGH!!!! If anyone is familiar with it please help me settle my nerves.......

Take Care
D:o

I am also a "guinea pig" at a school who implemented this system. So far, the majority of our class is not happy with it. We feel vital information is left out, skills are not focused on (come on, we all NEED to know how to insert an IV!) and much of the learning is "dumbed down", such as drawing concept maps with colored pencils. I admit, I'm "old school," and a student nurse who is starting a second career, but even my younger classmates are struggling with this. For example, we are considered "seniors", and our senior-level patient care class involves us filling out worksheets in a group, using our textbooks and NO lecture. The teacher is not "allowed" to teach us; we can ask her questions as she's going around the room, but that's it. This is what I paid thousands of dollars for? This is nothing more than an online course! I could go on and on about what we've experienced, not a lot of it good, but I'm sure you'll have stories of your own. I know this is the "new thing" for many schools, but I am not a fan.