Running Head: CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION

PRACTICE GAP 1

Reducing the Preparation-Practice Gap Through a Concept-Based Curriculum

Jean A. O’Connor

State University New York Polytechnic Institute

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 2

The exiguity of graduate nurses ability to function at the professional level is

known as the preparation-practice gap. The idea of a preparation practice gap, or reality

shock, as defined by Marlene Kramer in her book Reality Shock Why Nurses Leave

Nursing (1974), has been identified as a serious challenge facing graduate nurses as they

enter the work force. For the past four decades graduate nurses have been sent into the

workforce not fully prepared to face the challenges and realities of the job at hand.

Current literature continues to confirm that indeed a preparation practice gap for graduate

nurses persists (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2010; Berkow, Virkstis, Stewart, &

Conway, 2008; Boychuk Duchscher, 2008; Hickerson, Taylor & Terhaar, 2016; Institute

of Medicine, 2011; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014; Rush, Adamack, Gordon,

Lilly, & Janke, 2013; Scully, 2010; Spector, 2011).

The preparation practice gap creates an undesirable cascade that can lead to high

nurse turnover, nurse shortages, increased costs to hospitals, increased risks to patient

safety, and medical errors (Hickerson et al., 2016). Replacing a bedside nurse due to

turnover costs on average $49,500, and the cost to hospitals up to $300,000 annually in

nurse turnover costs for every 1% increase in organization turnover (Hickerson et al.,

2016; NSI Nursing Solutions, 2018). Graduate nurses are responsible for 75% of

medication errors, and 40% of patient falls.

Although there is high evidence for the existence of a preparation practice gap,

the evidence for solutions is nominal. Two solutions have been discussed in the literature,

which include changes to nursing school curriculums, and changes to orientation

practices for new graduates (Anderson, Hair, & Todero, 2012; Berkow et al., 2008;

Hickerson et al., 2016; Rush et al., 2013).

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 3

It is the purpose of this proposal to develop a concept-based curriculum that will

succor the preparation-practice gap and improve graduate nurse readiness to practice. In

an effort to meet the needs of the nations public health issues, nurses must be prepared to

practice to the full scope of their license. Concept-based curricula align with HRSA-18-

012 purpose to prepare a primary care nursing workforce that will be ready to care for a

complicated, chronically ill patient population through education with a focus on practice

readiness that will ultimately improve retention of qualified nurses, and decrease costs

due to patient errors (Nganga-Good, 2018).

Theoretical Framework

Since 1974, the literature has supported the belief that nurses have been facing the

challenge of transitioning from graduate to professional nurse. This challenge, known as

the preparation-practice gap, has been seen as a failure of nursing curricula to prepare

new graduates to function at the bedside, and a failure of institutions to create a

standardized transition, or residency, program to assist graduate nurses into practice

(Hickerson et al., 2016; Institute of Medicine, 2011; Kramer, 1974; Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation, 2014). The assumptions that influence the preparation-practice gap

include inconsistent, or unprepared, graduate student readiness to practice at their

expected stage of clinical competence, and the assumption that concept-based

curriculums improve graduate nurse readiness to practice safely and effectively.

Clinical experience, and clinical observations help to mold nursing students into

practicing nurses, however, it is believed that nursing curricula is heavily burdened with

content, while not providing students with the concepts necessary to practice effectively.

Training nurses to practice in a complex healthcare environment is vital to preparing

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 4

nurses who will need to practice to the full scope of their license after graduation.

Concept-based curriculums align with Benner’s Novice to Expert theory by allowing

students to think critically in situations by applying prior knowledge and experience.

Patricia Benner’s Novice to Expert theory is defined by five stages of clinical

competence: Stage 1 Novice, Stage 2 Advanced Beginner, Stage 3 Competent, Stage 4

Proficient, and Stage 5 Expert (Petiprin, 2016). First year nursing students function at the

novice level, while new graduate nurses function at the advanced beginner level.

Concept-based frameworks link concepts taught throughout the curriculum to patient

care, and allow students to build upon their knowledge as they advance through Benner’s

stages of clinical competence.

The profession of nursing requires life long learning. Nurses learn this upon entry

into nursing school. It is through experience that nurses develop knowledge. Kolb’s

experiential learning theory believes that “Learning is the process whereby knowledge is

created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38). Although Kolb’s

theory is not a nursing theory, it is believed to be the theory of choice that relates practice

with critical thinking experiences as expressed by Fawcett (Lisko & O’Dell, 2010).

Kolb’s experiential theory is formed on a learning cycle that includes: concrete

experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active

experimentation. Kolb’s theory also defines four distinct learning styles (diverging,

assimilating, converging, and accommodating), based on the four-stage learning cycle

(McLeod, 2017).
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 5

Table 1 Kolb’s Learning Cycle and Learning Style

Learning Cycle Learning Style

(McLeod, 2017)

Kolb’s theories can be used in almost any educational setting where learning takes place.

Kolb’s theories aligns itself with a concept-based nursing curriculum that recognizes the

challenges of diversity of learning style, with the uniformity of the learning cycle, and

continues in a profession where life long learning exists throughout the nursing career.

Goals and Objectives

Preparation-practice gaps result in increased graduate nurse turnover, elevated

healthcare costs, increased patient errors, and decreased patient safety (Berkow et al.,

2008; Hickerson, et al., 2016; Kramer, 1974; Murray, Sundin, & Cope, 2017; Robert

Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014; Spector, 2011). It is imperative to eliminate the

preparation-practice gap, by providing a smooth, and seamless transition from graduate

nurse to professional practicing nurse. It is the goal of this proposal to improve new

graduate readiness to practice through the implementation of a concept-based curriculum.

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 6

In order to meet this goal several objectives must be met including: the revision of the

current curriculum to a concept-based curriculum, the development of student learning

outcomes, and developmental objectives that align with the hospital workforce

expectations, integration of Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective

skills at the higher levels of taxonomy to ensure graduate readiness to practice, and

integration of simulation activities with clinical experiences to reinforce student learning

needs.

It is also the goal of this proposal to create a working relationship with our

clinical site partners through the development of a concept-based curriculum preparation-

practice gap committee with the objective of: creating liaisons with clinical sites to

develop learning objectives necessary for graduate nurse performance, provide training

for faculty on concept-based curriculum, and evaluate performance utilizing the New

Graduate Performance Survey.

The Carnegie Foundation report “Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical

Transformation (Benner et al., 2010) seeks to improve education competencies by

teaching students to think contextually regarding patient care, with a shift from critical

thinking to clinical reasoning. This can be accomplished in a concept-based curriculum

by incorporating Bloom’s taxonomy into nursing education. Bloom’s taxonomy allows

faculty to develop the learning objectives that focus on cognitive, psychomotor, and

affective skills at the higher levels of cognition necessary for new graduate readiness to

practice (Adams, 2015).

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 7

Methods

Graduate nurses are not making a seamless transition into practice, which can lead

to physical, emotional, intellectual, developmental, and sociocultural changes

(Duchscher, 2009). Redesigning nursing education is one way to improve this transition,

and close the preparation practice gap (IOM, 2011; Benner et al., 2010). It is the purpose

of this proposal to reduce the preparation practice gap for new graduate nurses through

the improvement of nursing school curricula clinical preparation by implementing a

concept-based curriculum.

Project Design:

Nursing education, as it currently stands, is not meeting the needs of the work

place expectations. “According to the Nursing Executive Center research, nearly 90% of

academic leaders believe their nursing students are fully prepared to provide safe and

effective care, compared with only 10% of hospital and health system nurse executives”

as evidenced from the New Graduate Nurse Performance Survey (Berkow et al., 2008).

The 2010 Carnegie Foundation report “Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical

Transformation” Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, and Day (2010) is calling for: improving the

education competencies of nursing through changing the teaching of abstract knowledge

to more concrete thought processes where students can think contextually and act

deliberately in situations where patients needs are concerned, integrating classroom

education with clinical experience, and shifting from critical thinking to clinical

reasoning in patient care (Hansen, 2014).

Changes to nursing school curriculum from a passive learning environment to an

active learning environment is imperative to help reduce the preparation-practice gap

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 8

(Baron, 2017; Benner et al., 2010), and will be guided by Gestalt’s cognitive learning

education theory (Aliakbari, Parvin, Heidari, & Haghani, 2015).

It is the purpose of this proposal to reduce the preparation practice gap for new graduate

nurses through the development of a concept-based curriculum. This will be

accomplished through the following interventions:

 Faculty will implement Lewin’s change model as a framework for complex

curriculum changes.

 The university site will appoint a faculty team leader with experience in

curriculum revision.

 The university site will collaborate to form a preparation-practice gap concept-

based curriculum revision committee that will include faculty from an accredited

BSN nursing school in the Westchester area along with hospital nursing

leadership, and nurse educators, from the associated clinical sites that share a

contract with those schools.

 All university nurse educators will receive training in concept-based curricula

through expert instruction, workshops, conferences, team collaboration, and peer

tutoring guided by current literature.

 University nurse educators will develop a concept-based nursing curriculum with

an emphasis on the 36 individual competencies evaluated on the New Graduate

Nurse Performance Survey.

 University nurse educators will develop student learning outcomes and

developmental objectives (McDonald, 2018) that align with hospital workforce

expectations, with an emphasis on the 36 individual competencies, and nursing

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 9

core competencies (Nurse of the Future Competency Committee, 2016;

Hassmiller & Reinhard, (2017).

 The university site will organize university faculty and hospital faculty meeting

times, set agendas, and deadlines.

 Data will continuously be evaluated, quarterly, annually, and at the completion of

this program.

Program Participants:

Program participants include all university sites’ nurse faculty/educators, support

staff, collaborating hospitals’ nurse leadership, and collaborating hospitals’ nurse

educators.

Ethical Considerations:

Ethical considerations should be considered when making changes to nursing

curriculum that may affect nursing graduate education. It is important to recognize that

there is an ethical obligation to reduce the preparation practice gap and the negative

implication to healthcare costs, nurse turnover, patient safety, and increased patient errors

(Benner et al., 2010; Berkow et al., 2008; Hickerson et al., 2016; IOM, 2011; Kramer,

1974; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). Approval will be obtained through site

Institutional Review Boards where applicable, and written informed consent will be

provided to participants. Participants will have the right to withdraw at any time.
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 10

Methods and Measures for Data Collection:

Throughout the curriculum revision, progress will be continuously measured

through student learning outcomes, faculty evaluations, and the New Graduate

Performance Survey.

Table 2

Procedure and Milestones Logic Model (Kekahio, Lawton, Cicchinelli, & Brandon,

2014)

RESOURCES ACTIVITIES OUTPUTS SHORT-TERM LONG-

OUTCOMES TERM
OUTCOMES
Grant Funding Implement Accredited University University
Lewin’s Change BSN Faculty will faculty will
Model University prepare for successfully
Participant concept-based implement a
curriculum concept-based
Apply for grant changes. curriculum.
funding

Grant will be
Create a awarded
multidisciplinary
preparation-
practice gap A Preparation-
concept-based Practice Gap
curriculum Committee will
review be established.
committee
Accredited BSN Prepare IRB Accredited Accredited BSN Accredited
Nursing School Submission BSN Nursing School BSN Nursing
Nursing will participate school will
School in concept-based complete a
Develop curriculum concept-based
Consent Forms change. curriculum
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 11

change.
Identify Faculty IRB approval
Team Leader
Team Leader
completes
Team Leader
curriculum
selected
changes
University Nurse Create the All Faculty Preparation- Preparation-
Faculty/Educators Preparation- committee Practice Gap Practice Gap
Practice Gap members Concept-based Concept-
Concept-based responsible Curriculum based
Curriculum for concept- Revision Curriculum
Review based Committee is Review
Committee curriculum successfully Committee
change implemented. remains
through
Complete New duration of
Graduate Nurse Quarterly curriculum
Performance meetings will be changes.
Survey set including
times/agenda/and
deadlines. Concept-
Concept-based based
curriculum curriculum
training Data will be changes will
collected on New be
Graduate Nurse implemented.
Performance
Concept-based
Survey
curriculum
development Nurse
Educators will
Nurse Educators have a strong
will increase understanding
Set Meeting
their knowledge of Concept-
times/agenda/
on Concept- bases
deadlines
based curriculum
curriculum.

Student
Concept-based learning
curriculum outcomes will
changes will be reflect success
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 12

developed of concept-
based
curriculum

Hospital Nurse Join All hospital Hospital Hospital

Leadership Preparation- nurse leadership will Leadership
Practice Gap leadership join the will
Committee members of contribute to
Preparation-
the concept-based
Practice Gap
Preparation- curriculum
Concept-based
Complete New Practice changes.
Curriculum
Graduate Nurse Gap
Revision
Performance Concept-
Committee
Survey based
Curriculum
Revision
Committee Data will be
collected from
the New
Graduate Nurse
Performance
Survey
Hospital Nurse Join All hospital Hospital nurse Hospital
Educators Preparation- nurse educators will Nurse
Practice Gap educator join the Educators will
Concept-based members of Preparation- contribute to
Curriculum the Practice Gap concept-based
Revision Preparation- Concept-based curriculum
Committee Practice Curriculum changes.
Gap Review
Concept- Committee.
Complete New based
Graduate Nurse Curriculum
Performance Review Data will be
Survey Committee collected from
the New
Graduate Nurse
Performance
Survey.
Meeting Facilities Provide University Meeting Meeting
Preparation- Site facility facilities will be facilities will
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 13

Practice Gap available for the be available

Committee Preparation- for the
Hospital
meeting location Practice Gap duration of
Site Facility
Concept-based the curricula
Curriculum changes.
Review
Committee to
meet in.

Table 3

Timeline for Progression and Completion

ACTIVITY TIMELINE IN YEARS

Preparation
6 months 1 2 3 4 5
Implement
Lewin’s
Change model X
for concept-
based
curriculum
change.
University
Nurse
Educator will X
apply for grant
funding
University
Nurse
Educator will X
create a
Preparation-
Practice Gap
Committee
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 14

New Graduate
Nurse
Performance X
Survey
Baseline
Nurse
Educator
training on X
concept-based
curricula
Nurse
Educators will
development a X
concept-based
curriculum
Nurse
Educators will
implement a X X X X
concept-based
curriculum
Preparation-
Practice Gap
Committee
Meetings
(Quarterly)
X X X X X X

Develop
Consent
X

Submit
proposal to
IRB
X

Develop
student
learning
outcomes,
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 15

developmental X X
objectives, and
core
competencies
Assessment:
New Graduate
Nurse X X X X X
Performance
Survey
Assesses
Student
Learning X X X X X X
Outcomes,
Developmental
Objectives,
Competencies
and workforce
expectations
readiness to
practice
(senior nursing
students)
Evaluation: Continuous
evaluation
Formative
throughout X X X X X
Concept-based
each quarter.
Curriculum
progress
(Tests,
Quizzes,
Assignments,
Clinical)

Evaluation:
Summative
X X X X X
Concept-based
Curriculum
Progress
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 16

Resources/Budget

Facilities and Resources:

Curriculum revisions are time consuming and require preparation including a

needs assessment guided by external and internal factors (Keating, 2015), and faculty

training to learn the new curriculum. Budget needs for curriculum revision weigh heavily

on faculty salary. University facilities will be used as the primary site for the concept-

based curriculum, faculty-training site, and preparation-practice gap committee-meeting

site. The total budget requirements are rounded to $500,000, which falls below the HRSA

18-012 ceiling amount of $700,000 (Nganga-Good, 2018).

Table 4

Budget Development of a Concept-based Curriculum

Personnel Time/Effort Over 5 Dollar Amount Requested Over 5 Years

Years
Name Title % Hours/Week Salary Fringe Total
Faculty Project Team 100% 40hr/wk $97,080 x $25,726.20 $122,806.20
University Leader for (based on 1 year
(Based on
first full-time
(Based on the
year hours)
average university
salary of fringe
$97,080) benefit
(BLS.gov, rate of
2018) 26.5%)
(Gitlin &
Lyons,
2014)
Faculty Project Team 20% 16hr/wk $19,416 x $20,580 $98,244
University Leader 4 years =
(Based on
$77,664
the
(Based on university
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 17

average fringe
salary of benefit
97,080) rate of
26.5%)
(Gitlin &
Lyons,
2014)
Faculty Faculty 10% 4hr/wk $9708 x5 $12,863.10 $61,403.10
University Curriculum years =
(Based on
Revision $48,540
the
Committee
(Based on university
Staff
average fringe
salary of benefit
$97,080) rate of
(BLS.gov, 26.5%)
2018) (Gitlin &
Lyons,
2014)
Faculty Faculty 10% 4hr/wk $9708 x5 $12,863.10 $61,403.10
University Curriculum years =
(Based on
Revision $48,540
the
Committee
(Based on university
Staff
average fringe
salary of benefit
$97,080) rate of
(BLS.gov, 26.5%)
2018) (Gitlin &
Lyons,
2014)
Faculty Faculty 10% 4hr/wk $9708 x5 $12,863.10 $61,403.10
University Curriculum years =
(Based on
Revision $48,540
the
Committee
(Based on university
Staff
average fringe
salary of benefit
$97,080) rate of
(BLS.gov, 26.5%)
2018) (Gitlin &
Lyons,
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 18

2014)
Faculty Project 100% 40hrs/wk $37,870 x $189,350
staff Secretary 5 years =
University $189,350
(Based on
average
salary of
37,870)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96 x $1604.80
Nursing Manager every 3 5 years =
Leadership Team Leader months $1604.80
Site #1 (Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96x5 $1604.80
Nurse Educator every 3 years =
Educator Team Leader months $1604.80
Site #1
(Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96 x $1604.80
Nurse Manager every 3 5 years =
Leadership Team Leader months $1604.80
Site #2
(Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 19

Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96 x $1604.80

Nurse Educator every 3 5 years =
Educator Team Leader months $1604.80
Site #2
(Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96 x $1604.80
Nurse Manager every 3 5 years =
Leadership Team Leader months
$1604.80
Site #3
(Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Hospital Nurse 2 hours $320.96 x $1604.80
Nurse Educator every 3 5 years =
Educator Team Leader months
$1604.80
Site #3
(Based on
average
hourly rate
of 40.12)
(BLS.gov,
2018)
Subtotals $474,937.35
Needs
Assessment
Staff 14 Four 8hr $43.34/hr $367.52 $24,561.60
Training Undergraduate instructional x 32hrs = (per
(Total for 14
Faculty workshops $1386.88 faculty
(University Undergraduate
Members (per member
lecture (Total: 32 faculty
faculty required to
hall) hours) members)
member attend
required to training)
attend
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 20

training
(Based on
breakdown
of annual
salary)
Staff In Kind
Training
Materials
Equipment In Kind
Simulation.
Lab
equipment
provided
Supplies: In Kind
Use of
Computers,
printers,
paper
University In Kind Subtotals $24,561.60
Facilities:
Use of
conference
rooms,
electricity

Total Direct Costs $499,498.95

Cost Allocation:

This budget anticipates the long term nature, and time consuming development of

a curriculum revision, and has allotted a full time salary at 100%, for the first year, for the

project team leader at a cost of $97,080.00. This salary figure was also used for all

faculty curriculum revision committee members, at a time commitment of 10%, and was
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 21

based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics average salary for nurse faculty in New York

State (2018). Subsequently the project team leaders time commitment has been reduced

after one year during the implementation of the curriculum revision to 20%. The fringe

rate was calculated at 26.5% (Gitlin & Lyons, 2014). Hospital nurse leaders, and hospital

nurse educators from three participating clinical sites will receive an hourly rate of pay of

$40.12 based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) average staff nurse salary for New

York nurses, for time paid for attendance to the quarterly meetings.

All faculties must attend a 32-hour training course on the concept-based

curriculum revision. The number of faculty, 14, was based on Pace University’s (2018)

undergraduate faculty staff numbers. The training budget was based on the faculty’s

hourly rate over the 32-hour period. Faculty training would be divided into four eight

hour training days prior to the start of the academic year. All training will be done on the

university campus and costs incurred for facilities, computers, supplies, simulation lab,

and equipment would be in kind.

Evaluation

Formative and Summative Evaluation Measures:

Throughout the concept-based curriculum revision, progress will be continuously

measured through student learning outcomes, faculty evaluations, and the New Graduate

Performance Survey. Both formative and summative evaluation methods will be

employed. Evaluations will be internal.

Curriculum evaluation is an ongoing process that educational programs utilize to

ensure desired outcomes are being met, that there are opportunities for those outcomes to
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 22

be met, that there is progress towards meeting those outcomes, and finally that there is a

judgment on the attainment of those outcomes (Bourke & Ihrke, 2012). Formative student

evaluations including standardized testing, unfolding case studies, simulation activities,

and clinical assignments will evaluate students understanding of concept related material.

Formative evaluations using Blooms taxonomy to assess student-learning objectives in

the higher levels of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective levels will be used to evaluate

students ability to master and demonstrate their ability to analyze, evaluate, and create

throughout the learning process.

Summative evaluation will be used to assess the entire curriculum revision.

Summative evaluation will be measured by grades, graduation rates, passing rates on

licensure certification exam, and overall readiness to practice after graduation The New

Graduate Nurse Performance Survey will be used as both a formative evaluation tool to

identify perceived levels of readiness before the curriculum revision, and after, as a

summative evaluation, to determine the overall effectiveness of the concept-based

curricular revision.

Monitoring Phase:

The Logic Model is the framework utilized to guide the evaluation of this

concept-based curriculum revision. The New Graduate Nurse Performance survey will be

utilized throughout the revision process, along with traditional academic formative

evaluation methods, to determine progress towards the overall goal of improving

graduate readiness to practice, and to assist with changes, or improvements if progress

towards the overall goal in not showing signs of improvement. The New Graduate Nurse

Performance Survey is a tool developed by the Nursing Executive Center (Berkow et al.,
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 23

2008). This tool is designed to isolate the specific nursing competencies that comprise the

preparation-practice gap (Berkow et al., 2008). The 36 competencies being evaluated are

specific, actionable, and reflect current hospital demands (Berkow et al., 2008). The New

Graduate Nurse Performance Survey utilizes a 6-point Likert scale to measure

satisfaction. The New Graduate Nurse Performance Survey will be completed at baseline,

and annually thereafter. Formative curriculum evaluation will be conducted throughout

each semester. Summative curriculum evaluation will occur at the end of each semester,

and each academic year.

Internal evaluators, including: university nursing faculty, clinical site nursing

faculty, nursing students, and clinical site nursing staff will monitor and evaluate the

concept-curriculum revision throughout the five year course of this proposal. Criterion-

referenced interpretation will determine if students are meeting competencies established

to improve readiness to practice.

Unanticipated Challenges/Additional Resources:

Educational programs that require a large amount of staff may have changes to

faculty due to retirement, job changes, or family issues. If qualified and trained staff

leaves, then there may be additional costs to train new staff to the concept-based

curriculum. In addition, if faculty is having difficulty transitioning to a concept-based

curriculum, then additional training may be necessary.

Dissemination

The results of the concept-based curriculum revision, and the impact of those

changes on the preparation-practice gap, will be disseminated to the nursing education

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 24

community. Poster presentations will be presented at National Nursing Education

conferences hosted by the National League for Nursing, The American Association of

Colleges of Nursing, the National Nurse Educator Summit, and the Nurse Education

Today, Nurse Education in Practice (NETNEP) International Nurse Education

Conference. Upon approval, results from the concept-based curriculum revision, and the

effect on the preparation-practice gap would be submitted for publication to Nursing

Education Professional journals such as: the Journal of Nursing Education, Nurse

Educator, Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, Innovation in Nursing Education,

and Simulation in Nursing Education Journal. As part of the university’s clinical liaison

with Northwell Health, results from this proposal will be shared at Northwell Health’s

annual nursing education conference.

Appendix

New Graduate Nurse Performance Survey https://www.quia.com/sv/351575.html

CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AND THE PREPARATION PRACTICE GAP 25

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