A comparative study of adult developmental patterns of RN and generic students in a baccalaureate nursing program

The current influx of RN students into baccalaureate nursing programs has led to many curriculum changes that are based on the unverified assumption that the RN students are "different." This study examined the differences and similarities among RN and generic nursing students using a conceptual framework designed by Weathersby (1977) which incorporated into a single framework Levinson's life stage, Loevinger's ego development, and Kolb's learning styles theories in order to trace the adult development patterns of generic and RN students. Three instruments were used: The Washington University Sentence Completion Test, the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, and Tarule's Educational Experience Inventory. The sample consisted of 49 RNs and 30 generic students enrolled at a large southern state university. The results of the analyses revealed significant difference between RN and generic students on the variables life stages and ego development but not on learning styles. These results substantiated the premise that RN and generic students differ significantly in their stages of adult development, and consequently affect the students' perception and expectations of the educational process.