AORN J O U R N A L JULY 1987, VOL. 46, N O I

Research Reviews

Studies examine nursing education programs, patients’ medical knowledge, attitudes of newly hired nurses

W L Holzemer, “Doctoral education in nursing: An assessment of quality, 1979-1984,” Nursing Research 38 (March/April 1987) 1 1 1-1 16.

This study compared the quality of nursing doctorate programs in 1979 and in 1984. To make the comparison, researchers sent identical questionnaires to the faculty, students, and alumni of the same nursing doctorate programs in 1979 and 1984. The questionnaires were designed to obtain information relative to the purposes of the program, faculty training and accomplishments, students’ abilities and performances, resources, and the social environments. The 14 universities that answered both questionnaires composed the sample for this study.

Data for the faculty revealed a significant increase in the percentage of assistant professors, a slight decrease in time spent teaching and advising students, an increase in time spent in research and scholarly activity, and an increase in the number of presentations given. Faculty research activity increased as did the number of journal articles and book chapters written.

Data analysis for students revealed that fewer doctoral students were enrolled full time in 1984, although the 1984 students had a higher undergraduate grade-point average. A higher percentage of 1984 students reported an interest in a primary career in research. A significant number of both students and faculty indicated that the scholarly excellence of the programs had increased.

In summary, data revealed an increase in the quality of the nursing doctorate programs in 1984.

Perioperative nursing implications. According to this article, the US Department of Health and Human Services Third Report to Congress (1982) estimated that 13,490 nurses with doctoral degrees will be needed by 1990. To produce that number, the number of nursing doctorate programs has increased. This study attempted to determine if quality was sacrificed for quantity.

There is a need within perioperative nursing for research and, thus, for nurses prepared at the doctorate level. The rationale for perioperative nursing must be rooted in research. It is encouraging that both the quantity and quality of the programs increased. Nursing, including perioperative nursing, can only benefit when the quality of nursing doctorate education remains high.

CYNTHIA SPRY, RN, MSN, CNOR CHAIRMAN

1987-1988 NURSING RESEARCH COMMITTEE

T Byme, D Edeani, “Knowledge of medical terminology among hospital patients,” Nursing Research 33 (May/June 1984) 178-181.

How many patients actually know what nurses are saying? To fmd out, researchers questioned 125 patients admitted to both acutecare and outpatient hospital units at a medical-surgical hospital. The patients were given a list of 50 common medical terms and asked to select the correct response from three potential definitions. The purpose of the study was to measure the difference between hospital staff perceptions of patients’ knowledge of medical terminology and