Impact of change to a concept-based baccalaureate nursing curriculum on student and program outcomes

The purpose of this study was to compare selected baccalaureate program outcomes for a traditional, specialty-based curriculum (TC) to a concept-based curriculum (CBC). Outcomes included NCLEX-RN licensure pass rates, graduation rates, national assessment of critical thinking, and program satisfaction. Student self-efficacy for performing nursing activities also was measured to assess the impact of the curriculum change on student confidence. The sample included 240 students enrolled in the two curricula during the last semester of the two baccalaureate nursing curricula. The TC sample (n = 104) included three cohort graduating classes, and the CBC sample (n = 136) included two cohort graduating classes. Findings indicated few differences on outcomes between the two curricula. Lack of a negative impact on program outcomes observed in this study may encourage other nursing colleges to implement newer curriculum models. Further study is needed on ways to evaluate the impact of curriculum change.