Elsevier

Nurse Education Today

Volume 51, April 2017, Pages 34-40
Nurse Education Today

Nicaraguan and US nursing collaborative evaluation study: Identifying similarities and differences between US and Nicaraguan curricula and teaching modalities using the community engagement model

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2017.01.004Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Curriculum Evaluation Study between Nicaragua and US Nursing Schools

  • Conducted simultaneous assessment, and analysis of (adult) med-surgical curriculum

  • Nicaragua & US Nursing School had similar adult nursing curriculum, however US utilized more technology simulation labs and Nicaragua conducted more rural /city clinic case studies and clinical practicums.

  • This international collaborative successfully utilized the Community Engagement Model

Abstract

Background

Curricula evaluation is an essential phase of curriculum development. Study describes the implementation of a formative evaluation used by faculty members between Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Nicaragua (UNAN-Leon) Escuela de Enfermeriá, Nicaragua and East Carolina University College of Nursing (ECU CON) in North Carolina, US.

Objectives

Program evaluation study to conduct an assessment, comparison of a medical-surgical adult curriculum and teaching modalities. Also, explore the Community Engagement (CE) Model to build a Central American-US faculty partnership.

Design

Methodological evaluation study utilizing a newly developed International Nursing Education Curriculum Evaluation Tool related to adult medical and surgical nursing standards. Also, the CE Model was tested as a facilitation tool in building partnerships between nurse educators.

Data

Nicaragua and US nursing faculty teams constructed the curriculum evaluation by utilizing the International Nursing Education Curriculum Evaluation Tool (INECET) by reviewing 57 elements covering 6 Domains related to adult medical and surgical nursing standards.

Methods

Developed, explored the utilization of the INECET based on a standard of practice framework. The Community Engagement Model, a fivephase cycle, Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, and Empower was utilized to facilitate the collaborative process.

Results

Similarities between the US and Nicaraguan curricula and teaching modalities were reflective based on the 57 elements covering 6 Domain assessment tool. Case studies, lecture, and clinical hospital rotations were utilized as teaching modalities. Both schools lacked sufficient time for clinical practicum time. The differences, included UNAN-Leon had a lack of simulation skill lab, equipment, and space, whereas ECU CON had sufficient resources. The ECU school lacked applied case studies from a rural health medical-surgical adult nursing perspective and less time in rural health clinics. The UNAN-Leon nursing standards generalized based on the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the US program was specific based on the American Nurses Association and various sub-specialties of nursing practice requirements. The CE Model was a useful framework to facilitate a collaborative partnership.

Conclusion

Collaborative evaluation study using the International Nursing Education Curriculum Evaluation Tool can be an effective method to evaluate medical and surgical curricula similarities and differences within international nursing schools. The Community Engagement Model fostered a faculty partnership.

Introduction

Healthcare systems demand nursing educators to prepare their students for the complex health needs of their patients and families. Therefore, the nursing curriculum must be grounded in current literature and in evidence-based practice. This article provides an example of a curriculum assessment process that was undertaken by two international partners from Nicaragua and the US. The two nursing schools compared and assessed their adult medical surgical nursing curriculum. The synthesis of the findings includes an assessment mapping tool, and the similarities and differences between these schools. In addition, a tested model is provided on how to build an international nursing collaborative partnership while conducting a curriculum evaluation. This study describes the implementation of a formative evaluation used by faculty members between Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Nicaragua, (UNAN-Leon) Escuela de Enfermeriá, Nicaragua and East Carolina University College of Nursing (ECU CON) in North Carolina, US.

Curriculum guidelines provide a framework for baccalaureate and graduate degree nursing programs to meet the healthcare challenges for a new century. From an educational context, the word curriculum is a very generic term and particularly during international work, curriculum can be envisioned from different perspectives. From the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2013) perspective, the “written” curriculum should therefore be expressed in comprehensive frameworks to include subject curricula/syllabuses, helpful learning materials, such as textbooks, teacher and assessment guides. For this study, the UNESCO curriculum framework description was applied. Examples of specific types of curriculum include what faculty actually “does” in the classroom, represented by syllabi. Also, another type of curriculum is what is called “learned curriculum” or what student's experience. This study assessed both the written and learned curriculum (Bilbao et al., 2008). Curricula assessment was at the heart of this project and as we know is an essential phase of curriculum development (Forbes and Hickey, 2009). This process of faculty collection becomes useful information to improve student learning (Kuh et al., 2014).

Faculty typically use guidelines for assessing curriculum, for example in the US, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) sets standards, provides resources, and the educational framework for the preparation of professional nurses (AACN Mission, 2016). Whereas, in Nicaragua, nursing education guidelines are based on the country's Ministry of Health (MINSA, Nicaragua Health Systems, 2011) documents.

Section snippets

Background

This academic study demonstrated the process of building a successful partnership. The authors understood clearly, nurses are vital to improving complex health care delivery systems (ICN, UN Millennium Goals, 2014). The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has encouraged nurses around the world to align their strategies to forge global nursing partnerships in a collaborative approach to seek a common outcome (International Council of Nurses, 2014, International Council of Nurses, 2011). Since

Community Engagement Theoretical Model

The Community Engagement Model (CE model) was the framework used to facilitate and strengthen the partnership between UNAN-León and the ECU schools of nursing. This model's premise is global health programs produce long-term transformative change rather than transient relief. Therefore, there is more sustainability and ethical harmony based on the expressed needs of a region or community (Powell et al., 2010). The CE model includes a 5-phase cycle (Powell et al., 2010). The five phases include:

Results

UNAN-León and ECU faculty study teams learned about their curriculum similarities and differences during the syllabi and teaching methods evaluation. For UNAN-León, this was the first time the faculty had conducted a curriculum evaluation and the first time it learned about US professional nursing standards, nursing subspecialties, the utilization of simulation skills labs, and challenges in obtaining clinical practicum sites. ECU CON faculty developed a deeper appreciation for nursing in

Discussion

UNAN-León and ECU faculty learned about their curriculum similarities and differences during the syllabi and teaching methods evaluation. In the area of differences, for UNAN-León this was the first time the faculty had conducted an in-depth curriculum evaluation and learned about the US professional nursing standards, nursing subspecialties, and the application of clinical simulation technology laboratories to enhance patient care and team communication skills. A noted similarity between the

Conclusion

The benefits of this study were numerous and highlighted the importance of global nursing education exchanges and partnerships. Specific benefit for ECU faculty was the Nicaraguan faculty emphasis on student placement within community health clinics and home visit programs so their students could apply medical and surgical nursing skills. One of the benefits expressed by the UNAN-Leon faculty was their ability to conduct their first curriculum evaluation.

The relevance of this study was to share

Conflict of Interest

No conflict of interest.

References (36)

  • B. Garner et al.

    International collaboration: a concept model to engage nursing leaders and promote global nursing education partnerships

    Nurse Educ. Pract.

    (2009)
  • Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses

    Scope and Standards of Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice

    (2012)
  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing

    The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice

  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing

    About the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) webstie

  • P.P. Bilbao et al.

    Curriculum Development

    (2008)
  • E.J. Emanuel et al.

    What makes clinical research in developing countries ethical?

    J. Infect. Dis.

    (2004)
  • G. Flores

    The impact of medical interpreter services on the quality of health care: a systematic review

    Med. Care Res. Rev.

    (2005)
  • M. Forbes et al.

    Curriculum reform in baccalaureate nursing education: review of the literature

    Int. J. Nurs. Educ. Scholarsh.

    (2009)
  • J.E. Heck et al.

    The shoulder-to-shoulder model—channeling medical volunteerism toward sustainable health change

    Fam. Med.

    (2007)
  • Institute of Medicine

    The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health Report, 2010

  • International Council of Nurses

    ICN Report 2010–2011: Nurses in the Frontline to Ensure Access and Equity in Health Care

  • International Council of Nurses

    Mission

  • International Council of Nurses

    ICN Biennial Report 2012–2013: Improving Access Impacting Health

  • G.D. Kuh et al.

    Knowing What Students Know and Can Do: The Current State of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in US Colleges and Universities National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment

    (2014)
  • L. Landry et al.

    Responding to demands to change nursing education: use of curriculum mapping to assess curricular content

    J. Nurs. Educ.

    (2011)
  • J. Leffers et al.

    Conceptual model for partnership and sustainability in global health

    Public Health Nurs.

    (2011)
  • S. Lewis et al.

    Medical-Surgical Nursing

    (2011)
  • F. Marin

    Assessment component interventions institutional strengthening program health sector modernization, Ministry of Health, Managua, August 16, 2004

  • Cited by (1)

    Special thanks: John D. Rose, MD , Harry G. Adams, MD, FACC, FACP; Miriam Fletes, RN, MN; Mr Tom Edwards, Cultural Consultant, Project Health Leon.

    View full text