The Comparative Study On The Design Of Theoretical And Practical Section Of The Professional Curriculum In Nursing Baccalaureate Program Between China And America

Objective: Through comparing the design of the theoretical and practical section of professional curriculum in nursing baccalaureate program between China and America and looking for the common grounds and differences, this study is trying to investigate the design of the aim of curriculum, the type of curriculum, the allocation of time, and the teaching and learning activities of the professional curriculum in nursing baccalaureate program, also to investigate the relationship between the design of nursing professional curriculum and the requirement of society and the development of nursing specialty. Meanwhile, this study is trying to offer some reference and scientific evidence for the reform of the professional curriculum in nursing baccalaureate program of our nation.Subjects and Materials: 20 full- time (4-5years) nursing baccalaureate programs from China and 20 from America enter into this research. The materials are composed of teaching plans (curricula plan), teaching syllabus, practice syllabus of nursing baccalaureate program, and other materialsrelated to the professional curriculum in nursing baccalaureate program.Methods: Cross-sectional study is used in this research, including statisticanalysis, content analysis, literature research, and case study according to thecharacteristics of the research materials.Results:1.The contents and names of the professional curriculum: The contents andnames are same or similar in China, but diversified in America.2.The class hours and proportions of the professional curriculum: In Chinathe total class hours of the professional curriculum in nursing baccalaureateprogram are 1386.80 ± 363.22, composed the 42.76% of the settled classhours of the whole curriculum plan; adding the practice hours in the last year,the number rises up to2735.56±251.16, which accounts for 60. 23%. While inAmerica, the total class hours of professional curriculum are 1593. 95 ± 203. 77,composed the 60.95% of the settled class hours. The total class hours ofprofessional curriculum in China are significantly more than those ofAmerica (P<0.001), but the proportion of the professional curriculum is notsignificantly different (P>0.05).3.Type of professional curriculum: In china, the discipline-centeredcurriculum dominates the professional curriculum, while integratedcurriculum is prevalent in America.4.The assessment of the professional curriculum: Much more emphases areput on the assessment of theoretical section than that of practical one in China,and summative assessment is the main form. While in America, theassessment is comprehensive, and the main form is formative assessment.5. The feature of the theoretical section of the professional curriculum inChina and America.(1). Class hours of the theoretical section: The class hours of the theoreticalsection are 881.50+107.02 in China, 558.80+82.52 in America. Significantdifference exists between them (P<0.00l).(2). Teaching and learning activity in theoretical section: In China, listeningto the teacher is the main activity, with seldom seminars. While in America,besides listening to the teacher and a big proportion of seminar, the nursingstudents still have reading assignments and case study as a rule.6. The feature of practical section of the professional curriculum in China andAmerica.(l).The arrangement and class hours of practice: There are two parts of thewhole practical section in China: the former clerkship, paralleling withtheoretical section, the class hours are 432.21 + 151.59, the ratio to thetheoretical class hours is 0.49 + 0.17:1; adding the latter full time practice, thepractice time rises up tol854. 06± 198. 78, the ratio is 2.20+ 0.35:1.While inAmerica, the class hours are 1035. 15 +185. 31, the ratio is 1. 89±0. 49:1.The practice time and ratio in China is significantly more than that ofAmerica (P<0.05).(2) Teaching and learning activity in practical section: In China, lab trainingand clinical viewing and emulating is the main activity during former practiceperiod, and clinical hands-on training is prevalent in the last year's practice.The most popular teaching activities are grand rounding, giving small lecture,case discussion, documenting nursing history of patients and so on; While inAmerica, besides lab training, clinical viewing and emulating, and clinicalhands-on training, the nursing students still have writing assignments, clinicalconference as a rule.Conclusion: In America, an independent nursing curriculum system has been built, showing the nursing characteristics. In process of professional curriculum design, the emphases are put on connecting theory and practice tightly, training the nuclear capability, and facilitating the continuing development of nurse role, reflecting the students-centered humanistic teaching thoughts. Comparing with America, the nursing curriculum of China has not demonstrated the feature of nursing specialty. The class hours of theoretical and practical section of professional curriculum in China are both much more than those of America, which reflect the teaching thoughts that we put an emphasis on imparting systematic theoretical knowledge to students, training them the solid nursing skills, raising ready-made specialists. In the teaching activities, the engagement of students is inadequate; the connection between theory and practice is not tight. Thus we should take a full consideration with our nation's reality in mind, make integrated curricula to show the characteristics of nursing specialty, to adjust the arrangement, the class hours, and the teaching activity to raise full-developing nurses.