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Methods: Following IRB approval a rolling recruitment began in 2008 and ended in 2010 to enroll 9 cohorts of students entering the baccalaureate nursing program. Study investigators met with students to explain the mixed-methods, repeated measures protocol. Students enrolled in the 5 semester traditional pre-licensure program were surveyed at entry, mid-point, and exit from the program while 3 semester post-baccalaureate students were surveyed at entry and exit using the Community Nursing Student Assessment Scale (CNSAS, α = 0.986).
Results: Response rate was 70% (n=170). Median student age was 22 years. Students were mostly female (84.7%, n=144)), Caucasian/White (78.8%, n=134), reporting English as their primary language (98%, n=167). Comparison of student learning outcomes measured by the CNSAS showed that student mean scores on all 39 items significantly improved between entry and exit from the program. Many students (91%, n=154) were “extremely, very, or somewhat likely” to consider future community/public health nursing practice and 67.6% (n=115) reported that the amount of time (110-150 hours) they spent in the community across the curriculum was “about right” while 28% (n=48) said it was “too little” time. Limitations include convenience sampling and no control group.
Conclusion: Results of this evaluation indicate positive student outcomes related to health promotion, community engagement, partnering, acknowledging ecological health determinants, and self-efficacy. Student’s value community nursing and their positive experience may influence eventual career choice. Future evaluation should consider comparison to a control group from a comparable nursing program operating a traditional one-semester community clinical curriculum.