Introduction
A well-designed curriculum is critical for effectively teaching nursing and equipping students with the theoretical foundations and practical skills needed to care for patients. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offered at San Diego State University (SDSU) is among the many programs in which nursing students can enroll. The teaching and dissemination of the program are anchored on the concept-based organizing design. This paper evaluates the BSN program at SDSU and identifies potential areas for improvement.
BSN Program Description and Analysis
Program Overview
Nursing is a multifaceted profession that requires an understanding of critical healthcare knowledge. BSN is among the educational programs aspiring nurses can enroll in to gain valuable insights into various healthcare concepts. As one of the higher education institutions in the State of California, SDSU offers a BSN program. The latter targets individuals who are interested in the nursing field. High school graduates, military personnel, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and career changers are among the intended learner populations for the program. Therefore, a BSN program is crucial for individuals continuing their nursing education and for those who intend to improve or change their careers.
There are various reasons why the intended population needs a BSN degree. Some learners enroll in the program to advance their healthcare knowledge and skills. Additionally, a BSN program may be needed to advance one’s professional status from LPN to registered nurse (RN) (Knecht et al., 2019). Furthermore, the program may be needed to improve patient outcomes, as it is associated with a deep understanding of crucial nursing concepts. SDSU offers the program in an American context since it is located in the U.S. Therefore, California State pre-nursing students and military applicants are given local preference at SDSU.
Professional Standards, Guidelines, and Competencies
The BSN program at SDSU is anchored on various professional standards, guidelines, and competencies. Ethical practice is a major professional standard set for the program, requiring students to exhibit morally and legally acceptable behaviors in practice and in class. Moreover, learners are expected to contribute to quality healthcare practice in accordance with Standard 10 of the American Nurses Association standards of professional nursing practice (ANA, n.d.).
According to the guidelines, students are expected to collaborate and work without discriminating against one another (SDSU, n.d.). Additionally, academic integrity is encouraged to ensure fair competition among them. Owing to the program’s guidelines and standards, the primary competencies measured are communication, leadership, teamwork, and evidence-based practice.
Mission Statement and Course Description
SDSU’s BSN program is anchored on the university’s school of nursing mission. The latter describes the purpose of a selected nursing program and its alignment with society’s needs. At SDSU, the BSN program is provided to lead and transform nursing care in a rapidly changing, diverse, and complex healthcare environment (SDSU, n.d.). The mission is achieved through a six-semester course. Each of the six semesters includes courses consistent with the university’s overall mission statement.
The first semester of the BSN is aimed at preparing the learners to enter the workforce. Consequently, the course covers the challenges nurses face as they interact and operate in the healthcare sector (Knecht et al., 2019). Critical thinking and creativity are the primary outcomes expected from the course. The students are subjected to various case scenarios where they are required to apply their skills and solve the presenting healthcare problem.
The second course of the curriculum focuses on diversity in the nursing context. Concepts such as cultural awareness and social equality are explored in the second portion of the program. This course explores cultural analysis and legal frameworks that guide the delivery of healthcare services in culturally diverse communities.
The third course and semester involve chemical therapeutics and clinical reasoning, which are central to individual care. This course is critical to understanding how drugs and various chemicals in a healthcare setting should be handled and used. The toxicology topic explores adverse drug reactions, interactions, and toxicity. Additionally, students are introduced to pharmacotherapy and neuropharmacology to understand the treatment and management of specific diseases. Therefore, the third course is the most demanding of all the semesters for a BSN program at SDSU.
The fourth-semester course is designed to help students understand acute nursing care specialties. Healthcare issues, such as those related to newborns and mental health, are explored in the fourth section. The fifth part of the curriculum covers nursing leadership, enabling learners to become effective managers and supervisors in their future organizations. The last course educates the learners on public health and other issues related to community wellness (SDSU, n.d.). Completion of the six courses described leads to earning a BSN degree from SDSU.
BSN Learning Outcomes
Specific learning outcomes are central to developing a BSN program that aligns with professional healthcare standards. The primary learning outcome of the BSN program at SDSU is to enable learners to become proficient in providing safe and effective nursing care. The latter is achieved by taking learners through 120 semester units, divided among the determined academic years (SDSU, n.d.-a). The degree’s prerequisite courses, such as Anatomy, Physiology, College-Level Mathematics, and Microbiology, equip learners with the skills needed to become proficient and practical nurses.
The BSN curriculum at SDSU presents two major expectations for students upon completion. They are expected to deliver quality care and exhibit practical leadership skills. Outcomes such as effective communication, evidence-based practice, and the ability to relate well with patients and their families are identified in the program.
The students are, therefore, expected to collaborate with their classmates and conduct in-depth research on various coursework concepts. The identified outcomes align with the ANA professional standards, the program’s guidelines, and competencies. Through effective communication and evidence-based practice, learners create a positive healthcare environment that aligns with ANA’s standards.
Moreover, learners are expected to communicate and collaborate effectively with patients, their families, and other stakeholders within their organizations. The BSN program is structured and developed in a manner that its core competencies address teamwork among the students. For instance, the student’s final grades in the BSN courses are calculated by combining their final examination marks and marks from group work. An understanding of cultural and ethical considerations in healthcare practice is another outcome expected from taking a BSN at SDSU. Achieving the highlighted outcomes prepares learners for advanced nursing programs.
BSN Theoretical Framework
Concept-Based Framework in BSN
BSN at SDSU is informed by a concept-based organizing framework, with some elements of intradisciplinary work. The concept-based framework allows the students and their instructors to focus on how to organize and categorize information learned in class. While the content covered in class is based on factual information, key nursing concepts help BSN students make sense of those facts and the world around them (Asgari et al., 2020). Therefore, learners engage in activities that allow them to apply the knowledge they have gained in class to real-world situations. For example, upon completing the course, students are required to complete internships at various healthcare organizations, where they apply the knowledge they have gained in class.
Historical Overview
The history of the concept-based organizing framework as applied in BSN is complicated. However, an in-depth understanding of major nursing theories can help explore their history. Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory is among the key historical nursing theories that support a concept-based curricula organizing framework (Gilbert, 2020).
The theory is based on Florence Nightingale’s 1859-1860 compendium. According to the concept, a clean and supportive environment is central to the delivery of quality healthcare (Asgari et al., 2020). Consequently, learners are taken through courses that describe a typical nursing environment and various strategies to overcome challenges in their organizations.
Major Concepts and Demonstrations in BSN
In the BSN context, causation and context are the significant concepts of the discussed organizing framework. Causation involves exploring the cause-and-effect relationships among various healthcare phenomena. For example, BSN students are taught the specific factors that contribute to specific health conditions, such as obesity and cancer.
In the provided examples, the students may study how economic and social factors relate to increased cases of obesity and cancer. For context, the learners study the significance of the contexts in which situations occur. For instance, outbreaks of disease can be associated with climate and environmental factors.
Curriculum Evaluation: Content Critique and Recommendations
Content Critique
Although the SDSU BSN course content addresses major nursing concepts, it is limited in some ways. The content focuses on the American context and the diseases that commonly occur there. Consequently, little attention is paid to diseases and conditions that are common in other regions (Asgari et al., 2020).
The limitation is detrimental to the student’s understanding of other factors and diseases that they may encounter in their professional setting. Moreover, the content is limited to complex medical issues taught at advanced levels of nursing education. Addressing the two challenges can help update nursing knowledge within the BSN program.
Healthcare Knowledge Update Recommendation
The highlighted shortcomings of the BSN content at SDSU can be addressed by taking two significant actions. The college needs accreditation standards and guidelines to ensure that all critical course content is included. This can be done by comparing the educational requirements for nurses across countries (Asgari et al., 2020). Additionally, the selected course sources are based on the latest evidence-based information. For instance, the instructors can be involved in researching the latest journal articles and books that BSN students use. Therefore, adhering to international accreditation standards and routine evidence-based source selection can help effectively update BSN knowledge.
Conclusion
Curriculum is critical to the educational process because it determines the knowledge and skills learners acquire. Therefore, educational programs must be comprehensive and address all key aspects of healthcare providers’ professional activities. To do this, when compiling them, it is necessary to adhere to the theoretical framework and philosophical perspectives of teaching, which will contribute to better information assimilation and students’ personal development. The curriculum is well-structured and comprehensive, consistent with modern principles of nursing education. It reflects a thoughtful integration of theory and practice, preparing students for the dynamic and evolving field of nursing.
References
American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice.
Asgari, P., Navab, E., & Bahramnezhad, F. (2020). Comparative study of nursing curriculum in nursing faculties of Canada, Turkey, and Iran according to SPICES model. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 8.
Gilbert, H. A. (2020). Florence Nightingale’s theory and its influence on contemporary infection control. Collegian, 27(6), 626–633.
Knecht, L. D., Dabney, B. W., Cook, L. E., & Gilbert, G. E. (2019). Exploring the development of professional values in an online RN-to-BSN program. Nursing Ethics, 27(2).
SDSU. (n.d.-a). RN to BS in nursing. Nursing.sdsu.edu.
SDSU. (n.d.-b). School of Nursing, San Diego State University. Nursing.sdsu.edu.