The Knowledge and Expectation about the Content of Pediatric Nursing Course in a Two-Year Nursing College Program and Related Factors in Taiwan

Purpose: The two-year nursing college program was developed in Taiwan, which helps the students graduated from a five-year junior nursing college to get a bachelor degree in nursing in two-year. To avoid repeating learning content, and to learn useful nursing knowledge for clinical pediatric nursing practice, the course design of pediatric nursing is very important. However, there is little evidence-based research about this course design in previous study. The purposes of this study were: 1) to examine the students’ knowledge and expectation about the content of pediatric nursing course in a two-year nursing college program in Taiwan; and 2) to explore the factors which influence the students’ knowledge and expectation about the content of pediatric nursing course.    

 

Methods: A correlational study was conducted. A nonprobability sample of 102 two- year nursing college students was recruited from a technology university located in southern Taiwan. All participants completed the consent forms and the questionnaires. A demographic questionnaire and the Questionnaire of the Knowledge and Expectation about the Content of Pediatric Nursing Course were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistical techniques, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlations.

Results: The findings showed that student participants got higher scores in the knowledge about body system (mean score = 3.26) than the knowledge about nursing process (mean score = 2.76), and the knowledge about nursing concepts (mean score = 1.81). Moreover, student participants showed higher expectation to learn the knowledge about nursing process (mean score = 3.86) than the knowledge about nursing concepts (mean score = 3.11), and the knowledge about body system (mean score = 2.32). The years after graduation from five-year junior college were negatively and significantly related to the score of knowledge about body system, nursing process, and nursing concepts. The years of students’ working experience were positively and significantly related to the score of expectation to learn the knowledge about nursing process.    

Conclusion: The results showed the students’ knowledge level and expectation about the content of pediatric nursing course. The findings can be used in the future to make a better design of pediatric nursing course in a two-year nursing college program to meet students‘ expectation and to enhance the knowledge of pediatric nursing for clinical practice. The evidence- based research method for course design can be utilized in other countries to develop appropriate course content for a new course.