title: Report card: an evaluation of a concept-based curriculum.
abstract: This article describes the evaluation of an innovative, concept-based baccalaureate nursing curriculum. Curriculum evaluation is an ongoing process that serves to ensure the delivery of quality education. Findings from surveys and focus groups identified strengths of the new curriculum as the conceptual approach, interactive small-group learning activities, clinical intensives, and early patient care experiences. Issues and challenges identified in the evaluation included perceived repetition of content in the Professional Nursing concept courses, coordination of community-based clinical experiences, a perceived need for greater age-span, pharmacology, and pathophysiology content, and NCLEX-RN preparation. Curriculum revisions based on these findings are described.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico, Health Science Center, College of Nursing, Albuquerque, USA. jgiddens@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: Jean Foret
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Giddens
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morton
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D009516:New Mexico; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*