Curriculum innovation and the management of change

Change in Nurse Education is occurring at such a rate that interest in the management of change is increasing. This article constructs an anatomy of an innovation and considers elements which helped and hindered the change process. The innovation was the development of a new RMN curriculum which was a cooperative venture between three health districts. Continuous assessment, student centered learning and a humanistic approach were all embodied in the innovation. By interviewing the Change agents the innovations are considered in a way which highlights internal and external resistances to change. The use of planning, personal effort and a collegial approach are noted as assisting factors when used within a humanistic framework and a normative re-educative change strategy. Ownership of the innovations is seen as a measure of the strategies success.