| Tuesday, November 15, 2005: 8:15 AM-9:15 AM | |||
| Leading Curricular Change With a Participatory Action Research Project | |||
| Learning Objective #1: Discuss key elements of the described participatory action research project that can either facilitate or hinder change | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify a situation amenable to this type of change strategy in his/her own setting | |||
| There is a dire need to ensure that nurses are knowledgeable about caring for the growing population of older adults. However, gerontological nursing content is often minimally addressed in nursing curricula. A group of eight faculty members at one U. S. university school of nursing sought to address this issue. Their vision and passion were to promote interest and knowledge of gerontological nursing in students and faculty through curricular changes. To promote successful change and goal attainment based on evidence and acceptance by stakeholders, these faculty launched a participatory action research (PAR) project in 2003. This presentation will address how the leadership strategy of PAR can effect change in an organization. The presentation will begin with a project overview including the impetus for and primary aims of the project. This will be followed by a discussion of how PAR was applied as a framework and research methodology. The first part of the project gathered data from faculty members and administrators using written surveys and focus groups. Because target populations are often overlooked in change processes, the importance of gaining perspectives, input, and acceptance from these stakeholders will be emphasized. Data from undergraduate prelicensure and RN to BSN students were also collected to ensure that their unique concerns and perspectives were addressed through curricular changes. Both the positive aspects and challenges of data collection with each stakeholder group will be addressed. Stakeholders’ responses to research findings and application of findings to curriculum development will be discussed. Results of the project led to development of new initiatives that linked nurses from practice settings to those in academia. Implications will be discussed for nurse educators, clinicians, administrators, and researchers. Recommendations will be made for using a similar strategy to promote change in diverse settings. | |||
| Organizer: | Judith Hertz, RN, PhD | ||
| Presenters: | Mary Elaine Koren, RN, DNSc Donna J. Munroe, RN, PhD Julie Robertson, RN, EdD Jeanette Rossetti, EdD, RN | ||