Baccalaureate Degree Programs Research Articles

Youth identity and postsecondary decision making in a rural state: evidence of a College for All master narrative

This study examined the normative messages that inform youth postsecondary decision making in a predominantly rural state in the northeastern U.S., focusing on the institutionalization and circulation of identity master narratives. Using a multi-level, ecological approach to sampling, the study interviewed 33 key informants in positions of influence in educational, workforce, and quality of life domains. Narrative analysis yielded evidence of a predominant master narrative – College for All – that participants described as a prescriptive expectation that youth and families orient their postsecondary planning toward four-year, residential baccalaureate degree programs. Both general and domain-specific aspects of this master narrative are elaborated, as well as findings indicating that the College for All ideology appears to both obscure and stigmatize the development and institutionalization of alternative postsecondary pathways. Implications for rural communities, rural mobility, and future research on narratives informing postsecondary options for youth are discussed.

Demonstrating the use of a professional skills framework to support the assessment of dispositions in IT education

The skills and competencies of IT professionals are often described using employer-led skills frameworks. They express competencies as technical knowledge and skills combined with a range of personal qualities. Employers have indicated the importance of developing such qualities for new graduates. In response, recent ACM/IEEE curricular recommendations have shifted their emphases from bodies of knowledge to the development of competencies. The IT2017 ACM/IEEE Curriculum Guidelines for Baccalaureate Degree Programs proposed a model of IT competency comprising three interrelated components: content knowledge, skills, and dispositions, where dispositions represent personal qualities desirable in the workplace. The ACM/IEEE Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) report enriched the IT2017 disposition concept by identifying eleven dispositions that all computing programs should include for the career preparation of their graduates. However, developing and assessing dispositions in a degree program remain challenges, often involving internships, work placements and similar student opportunities. A recent mapping of the eleven CC2020 dispositions to the responsibility characteristics of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), a widely used professional skills framework, suggested a promising approach to addressing this challenge. Inspired by this mapping, this paper aims to help educators assess students’ achievement of CC2020 dispositions by mapping real-world experiences they have recorded in individual portfolios against the SFIA responsibility characteristics. First, the selection of SFIA to operationalize the CC2020 dispositions is validated by demonstrating that alternative frameworks pose significant challenges for any assessment approach that needs to be independent of particular technical skills. A tool is described that maps demonstration of SFIA responsibility characteristics to CC2020 dispositions, applying a simple, consistent assessment algorithm. Finally, the assessment process and outcomes are illustrated using a fictional student portfolio, constructed to reflect one author’s experience of work placement students’ achievements.

Career outcomes and satisfaction among graduates of a 4-year oral health and welfare baccalaureate program at Niigata University, Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Globally, baccalaureate programs in dental hygiene are increasingly established. In addition, in Japan, many dental hygienists (DHs) and social workers (SWs) are prematurely leaving the workforce. This study aimed to investigate the most recent employment, career outcomes, reasons for a job change, and satisfaction with the job and undergraduate curriculum among graduates of the baccalaureate program at the Department of Oral Health and Welfare (DOHW), Faculty of Dentistry, Niigata University. All 262 graduates (graduating classes 1-10) of the DOHW were invited to participate in this survey; an original self-administered questionnaire was distributed to those who consented. Responses were received from 114 (43.5%) graduates. Almost all respondents (89.5%) had dual licensure as both DH and certified SW. They were employed immediately after graduation (99.1%) and at the time of the survey (96.5%). Over 60% of them worked as DHs, mainly in hospitals. SWs mainly worked in administration. Among the 113 respondents who were employed, 39.8% changed jobs at least once. The main reasons for job selection were 'interest in job content' and 'flexible working hours'. Nearly 90% of the respondents felt satisfied or fairly satisfied with their job and their undergraduate education. A quality 4-year baccalaureate degree program in dental hygiene and social welfare positively influenced graduates' work continuity. Most graduates felt satisfied or fairly satisfied with their job and the undergraduate curriculum. Employment rates within each profession and the prevalence of hospital and administrative roles were higher than national averages. Long-term studies of graduates' career outcomes are warranted.

SOCIAL BULLYING IN NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES ACADEMIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.

Background: Academic social bullying in nursing and health professions schools is an understudied area yet emerging research shows it is prevalent. Purpose: This qualitative study derived from two larger quantitative studies targeting the development and validation of an instrument measuring academic social bullying and whose purpose was to understand the phenomenon in greater depth from narrative comments. Methods: Survey design with open ended questions was utilized to obtain content and construct validation along with reliability data for a de-novo instrument measuring academic social bullying. Over 250 nurse academics and 417 health sciences educators in baccalaureate and higher degree programs in the United States responded. This qualitative study focused on analysis of narrative comments (N = 91 nurse respondents and N = 89 health sciences faculty respondents, respectively) provided in response to open ended questions. Results: Five qualitative themes emerged from narrative content analysis. Qualitative themes approximated the construct-validated factors in the quantitative studies but also expanded on them. The themes included: Bullying experiences, faculty issues, issues of academia, student bullying of faculty, and general comments about bullying. Conclusion: Academic social bullying is a significant phenomenon for nursing and health sciences educators affecting faculty well-being. This study's qualitative findings can help enrich understanding of the problem and augment future quantitative and qualitative studies with the hope of developing targeted interventions.

Psychometric Development of an Instrument Measuring Academic Social Bullying in Nursing Higher Education: Continuing Content and Construct Validation

BackgroundA de novo 108-item instrument measuring academic social bullying was developed from literature, research findings, and extant instruments. Using content validity index processes, the instrument was reduced to 40 items.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to continue with psychometric development and instrument construct validation.MethodsA purposive, representative sample of nursing school faculty was surveyed. Over 2,000 nurse educators in baccalaureate and higher degree programs were contacted via email and invited to a Qualtrics site. Respondents completed a brief demographics section, rated agreement with item appropriateness using a 5-point Likert scale. Participants responded to open-ended questions about individual items.ResultsSummary aggregate data were analyzed. Over 250 respondents represented various faculty ranks. Over 75% had experienced or witnessed academic social bullying. Factor analysis ascertained construct validity. Three factors were identified explaining 67% of variance. Qualitative comments supported item appropriateness.ConclusionsThe new instrument will permit assessment of academic social bullying in future research.

Virtual Simulations’ Impact on Clinical Practice: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundDespite an increase in virtual simulation uptake in many institutions, relatively little is known about how simulations affect clinical practice. MethodsA descriptive qualitative approach, using small group interviews, was used to address our research questions. Interviews were conducted with year two and year four students from a four-year baccalaureate degree program and their clinical instructors. ResultsFour main themes emerged from our data: Direct Linkage to Clinical Practice, Suitability of Virtual Simulation Design for Learning, Strategic Integration of Virtual Simulation and Facilitation Skills. ConclusionWith sound design and facilitation, virtual simulation can positively impact students’ clinical practice.

Tracking the New York State Faculty Shortage: Report on the Schools and Faculty Survey 2013 and 2017

Background: This secondary analysis of existing data compared the results of the 2013 New York State (NYS) Nursing Schools and Faculty Report Survey to the results of a replication study completed in 2017. The NYS Council of Deans representing baccalaureate and higher degree programs in NYS and the Council of Associate Degree Nursing were surveyed in academic years 2012-2013 and 2016-2017 (referenced as 2013 and 2017, respectively). Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide detailed and aggregate baseline data about NYS nursing schools' capacity in relation to the number, characteristics, distribution, vacancy rates, and retirement plans of faculty and to contextualize these findings in current national trends. While the issue of nursing faculty shortage is not new in NYS, two studies were conducted in academic years 2012-2013 and 2016-2017, respectively, that examined the rate of nursing faculty vacancies and factors contributing to the nursing faculty shortage. In addition, the secondary analysis revealed trends that have implications for the current and future state of New York States' ability to prepare an adequate nursing workforce. Methodology: Data analysis included 22 questions that appeared on both surveys. The survey response rate was 71.4% in 2013 and 43% in 2017. SPSS was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics summarize the data and identify patterns and trends between the two data collection points. Results: Faculty gender composition remained unchanged from 2013 to 2017, with 92% women and 8% men. Race and ethnicity of faculty also remained stable in 2013 and 2017, with 78% and 79% of faculty reported as White, respectively. There was little change in the percentage of minority faculty. Most faculty were between the ages of 50 and 59 years (35% in 2013 and 31% in 2017). The master's degree was the highest level of degree for most nursing faculty at 64% in 2013 and 63% in 2017. The top strategy used by nursing schools to fill vacancies was to hire more adjunct faculty, while the most cited strategy to recruit full-time faculty was to increase salaries. The most cited reason for the separation of faculty in 2013 was that faculty accepted a position elsewhere (31%), and in 2017 the most cited reason was retirement (49%). Limitations: The limitations of this analysis include: (a) decrease in survey response rates between the two survey periods, since response rates are a potential source of bias, and (b) the wording of questions was not identical in some cases, which could have led to different responses based on how the question was worded. Conclusions and Recommendations: Complex factors contribute to the NYS faculty shortage and include an aging faculty, increasing retirements, lack of diversity, and low compensation. These results mirror the results of national surveys on the faculty shortage, indicating that NYS needs to take action now to address the nursing pipeline issue.

Developing trends of initial nursing education in China from 2006 to 2017: A descriptive analysis based on national-level data

IntroductionThere is currently a global nurse shortage. Initial nursing education is the primary preparation for a robust nursing workforce that must be strengthened. ObjectivesTo describe the developing trends of initial nursing education in China from 2006 to 2017 and to analyze related characteristics and issues. DesignA descriptive study with secondary data analysis. MethodsThe numbers, educational-level composition and regional distribution (i.e., East, Central, West, and Northeast regions) of students recruited into initial nursing education programs from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. Changes in the numbers of the nursing workforce from 2006 to 2020 were compared with the changes in education sector to facilitate an interpretation of the development trend of initial nursing education. ResultsThe number of recruits into initial nursing education programs has increased from 0.38 million in 2006 to 0.44 million in 2008, and maintained between 0.5 million and 0.54 million during 2009 to 2017. Students recruited to secondary diploma, advanced diploma, and baccalaureate degree programs accounted for 50.55% (71.46% in 2009), 39.36% and 10.09% of the total in 2017, respectively. There were 3.34 nurses per 1000 population in 2020, a substantial increase from 1.09 in 2006. The regional distribution of recruits was imbalanced, with more recruits per 1000 population in the West (0.49), Central (0.40), Northeast (0.34) and the least in the East (0.26) in 2017. The distribution of nurses was relatively balanced among the four regions. ConclusionsThe development in initial nursing education in China is significant from 2006 to 2017. The education sector recruited and graduated about 0.5 million nursing students respectively per year in recent years. If simply considering the number of recruits, it could meet the workforce demands, however, to further upgrade nurses' educational preparation, the recruits into advanced diploma and baccalaureate degree programs need to be increased. A maldistribution of recruits among regions persists, while the distribution of nurses is relatively balanced. Multiple strategies should be adopted to achieve a balance between the supply and demand of nurses, with providing more higher-educated nurses in all regions across mainland China.

Nursing Faculty Development in Pakistan; Teaching and Learning Competencies

Human health resource is the core component of any health system. Pakistan’s health system faces a critical shortage of qualified healthcare professionals such as physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and allied healthcare workers1. Pakistan has one of the fastest growing populations and is ranked as the fifth largest population in the globe2. The health system of Pakistan is confronted with the challenge to cater to the unmet healthcare needs of this rapidly growing human population. The health system of Pakistan is facing multiple challenges and among these, one of the key challenges is the production of quality human resource for health. Pakistan has recently focused much on uplifting the standards of medical schools; to produce competent physicians, however, uplifting and streamlining nursing education still remains a big challenge. Currently, there are approximately 90,000 nurses registered with Pakistan nursing council3. In 2018, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination made a thorough assessment of the existing human health resource and as per the report published Pakistan needs 0.8 million nurses by the year 20304. There is also an imbalance in the current workforce with more physicians onboard as compared to nurses in the system. Pakistan is thus confronted to upscale the production of nurses to meet Universal Health Coverage goal by year 2030 as well as to maintain the minimum standards of nursing workforce development. To uplift the standards of nursing education, Pakistan has embarked on graduate nursing education as entry into practice qualification from the year 2018 and onwards. This has shifted nursing education pre-dominantly from associate diploma regulated by nursing examination boards to baccalaureate degree program run by the universities. Maintaining standards in the production of quality nursing workforce is a big challenge for Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and Pakistan Nursing Council. Pakistan has though shifted onto a baccalaureate degree program in nursing its faculty is not fully prepared in modern day educational pedagogies, assessment methods, curriculum development and evaluation, educational psychology and educational leadership and management5. There is an acute need to train nursing faculty in basic teaching competencies for effectively teaching at BS nursing level. Such trainings shall be mandatory for everyone who aspires to teach in nursing colleges. The Pakistan nursing council shall make such trainings mandatory for all nursing faculty who is involved in teaching to nursing students.

Voices from undergraduate students and faculty members regarding the status and challenges of baccalaureate nursing education in Myanmar: A qualitative study

ObjectivesTo clarify the present status and challenges of nursing education in a baccalaureate degree program in Myanmar. DesignA qualitative descriptive design using focus group interviews. ParticipantsUndergraduate nursing students and faculty members from the University of Nursing in Myanmar. MethodsFocus group interviews were separately conducted for each group of undergraduate students, and junior and senior faculty members. The interview guide for the students was about their perceptions and requests regarding their nursing education. For the faculty members, the interview guide was about their current perceptions and challenges regarding nursing education. Each group interview took about 60 min. ResultsEight undergraduate students, eight junior faculty members, and six senior faculty members were eligible to participate. The undergraduate students voiced their requests for improvement in teaching methods. They described their struggles and learning process from their clinical placement experiences, as well as their distress under the present educational environment. The faculty members described their perceptions and challenges regarding inventiveness in teaching methods, challenges in conducting clinical placements, lack of educational devices and facilities, and innovation requirements in the faculty organization and system. ConclusionThe present status of nursing education in a baccalaureate degree program in Myanmar reflects ongoing serious challenges in undergraduate nursing education as expressed by both undergraduate students and faculty members. Their voices echo a pressing need to implement alternative methods of nursing education for better academic outcome. Moreover, continuing education is realized as crucial for capacity building and professional development of faculty members.

Using an E-learning activity to enhance student nurses' understanding of cognitive impairment

BackgroundNurses often lack the knowledge and expertise to work with older people with cognitive impairment, which includes dementia, delirium and depression. This is due in part to deficits in their basic nursing education related to older people and managing the care needs of people with cognitive impairment. We developed an e-learning activity to facilitate student nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment. ObjectivesTo test if the e-learning activity could improve student nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment and whether they would find the style of learning beneficial. DesignA quasi-experimental pre-post-test design was used to test if the cognitive impairment e-learning activity could improve student nurses' knowledge about assessing and managing the needs of older people who are experiencing cognitive impairment. A 12-item true/false quiz was completed by participants. SettingsOne large Western Canadian university. ParticipantsSecond year nursing students in the four-year baccalaureate degree program, second year nursing students in the bilingual four-year baccalaureate degree program, and first year nursing students in the two-year after-degree nursing program were invited to participate. Data from 166 students were included in the analysis (n = 166). ResultsBased on the results of a paired t-test (p < 0.001 and an average score increase of 1.12 out of nine), we conclude that students' knowledge about cognitive impairment in older people increased following the e-learning activity. Students also offered qualitative feedback that identified the activity as both helpful and as an enjoyable way to learn and provided suggestions for improvement. ConclusionsThis e-learning activity was effective in helping students learn about how to work with older people experiencing cognitive impairment. This mode of learning might be useful for other difficult-to-teach content areas.

Academic Advising and the Community College Baccalaureate: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice

An increasing number of community colleges have expanded their programmatic offerings to include baccalaureate degrees. In this national, mixed methods study, we examined how and to what extent the implementation of baccalaureate degree programs has impacted academic advising policies and practices across U.S. community colleges. Survey and interview data highlighted the reorganization of advising and adoption of various advising models as well as the need for collaborations, communication, and professional development. In addition to underscoring the overall complexities involved in establishing four-year degree programs at the community college, results from this study helped us illuminate implications for policy and planning as well as suggested areas for future research related to advising.

Trading Inequities: Hispanic‐Serving Community Colleges and Baccalaureate Degree Programs

AbstractThis chapter presents a critical examination of the institutionalization of baccalaureate degrees at a Hispanic‐serving community college. Findings highlight that in expanding programmatic, financial, and geographic access to certain baccalaureate degrees, access to other educational opportunities was undercut.

Nurses’ Awareness and Participation in Mandatory Continuing Professional Development in the Philippines: A Pilot Survey

Introduction: Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the Philippines is relatively new. The purpose of the study was to determine nurses’ awareness and participation in CPD in the Philippines. Methods: This descriptive survey was conducted among nurses (n=30) in a private hospital in Iloilo City. A researcher-made survey tool was used to gather data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U to test for differences between variables. Results: Results indicated that were nurses were generally aware of the CPD law and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR). However, while nurses understood the concept of CPD and the renewal requirements of the CPD Act, more than half were not aware of learning activities under Self-Directed Learning and that nurses can earn CPD credit units through online CPD programs. Almost half were unaware that excess CPD cannot be carried over to the next three-year period, and more than one-third were unaware that only completed post baccalaureate degree programs can be used to earn CPD credit units. There were no significant differences in the awareness of nurses when grouped according to sex, age, civil status, position, salary, and length of work experience. Seminars and workshops were the most common CPD activities participated by nurses in the last 12 months. Conclusion: Addressing the common information gaps regarding the CPD law identified in this study may assist in increasing nurses’ support in the implementation of the mandatory CPD among nurses.

A National Study of the Financial Implications of Community College Baccalaureate Adoption

ABSTRACT Community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree programs have become increasingly popular in recent years, with over 100 community colleges in 24 states currently offering at least one bachelor’s degree program. Despite the growing prevalence of CCB degree programs, the financial implications of CCB adoption remain largely unknown. This study leverages a novel national dataset and employs a difference-in-differences regression approach to examine the relationship between CCB adoption and multiple indicators of institutional revenue and financial priorities. We find that CCB adoption is associated with decreases in community colleges’ reliance on public funds and increases in their reliance on tuition and fees.

Insights for emergency management undergraduates about the importance of exercises in their chosen profession

To explore the use of exercises as a component of emergency management (EM) baccalaureate degree programs to assure competence of new emergency managers. This qualitative study used document and Web site review and open-ended survey questions for program directors to determine the extent of use and need for exercises as a part of EM undergraduate programs. Exercise planning, design, and implementation courses are available through the Emergency Management Institute, and based on the literature, education, and training in planning, designing, and executing exercises should be a component of baccalaureate degree programs in EM.

The Price of Mission Complexity: A National Study of the Impact of Community College Baccalaureate Adoption on Tuition and Fees

The traditional mission of community colleges is rooted in the provision of sub-baccalaureate education at a low price, but a total of 19 states have changed their legislative policies and currently allow community colleges to offer community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree programs. This study examines the impact of CCB adoption on the tuition and fees at CCB-adopting institutions. We leverage a novel national dataset and employ a difference-in-differences regression approach to find that CCB adoption is associated with increases in tuition and fees at public community colleges.

The forgotten history of CSWE’s shift away from community colleges

ABSTRACTFrom the 1950s to mid-1970s social work educators in the United States considered developing a multi-level continuum of social work education including associate degrees. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) added baccalaureate degree programs only. By 1979 the idea of including associate degrees in this continuum disappeared from the scholarly conversation. This qualitative historical research explores factors that led to the exclusion of community colleges from CSWE membership and prevented accreditation of associate degree programs. Using archival evidence, it synthesizes primary and secondary sources and applies a critical pedagogy framework to highlight concerns. Findings suggest that distrust, the pace of change, professionalization, BSW program development, cultural differences, resistance to change, and a lack of external pressure coalesced to rebuff recognition of community colleges as an alternate pathway for social work education in the U.S.

Three Policies in The Baccalaureate Degree Program and Outcome-Based Education

Three Policies in The Baccalaureate Degree Program and Outcome-Based Education

Student Nurses' Quality of Life in Majmaah University: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Despite the vast number of studies related to the student’s quality of life (QoL), only a few were explicitly conducted in the nursing academe in Saudi Arabia. Aims: This study aimed to determine the profile and QoL of student nurses in a baccalaureate degree program in Saudi Arabia. Settings and Design: This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design and was conducted in the Department of Nursing at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. Methods and Material: The demographics and adopted Arabic WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires were used to collect the data among the 100 nursing students between October and November 2016. Analysis used: The descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were utilized to describe the demographics, and to establish its relationship to the four domains of QoL. Results: Gender, distance from school, and monthly allowance (p >0.05) were found to have no significant association with the physical, psychological, social, and environment domains of QoL. However, marital status (p