The influence of managed care on U.S. baccalaureate nursing education programs

The transformation of health care into managed care has raised many issues and concerns for nurse educators. The milieu in which nurses currently practice reflects the restructuring shaped by managed care principles. The shift from acute care to expanded community services has changed the way health care is provided within hospital settings. The organization of nursing programs has been affected by this shift, and the ramifications of these external forces on curriculum structure have altered the way nursing students are educated. This article presents research demonstrating the changes in the structure of the curricula for baccalaureate nursing education in 2001, which were caused by health care reform in effect since 1994.