Validating a compendium of goals and objectives for educating CNS students in ambulatory care

In fall 1990, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a Pilot Ambulatory Care and Education program that has as its major goal the shift from a traditional inpatient specialty-based focus of patient care and health professional education to a more forward-looking outpatient generalist-based focus of care and education. The generalist and specialist focus of the CNS role has been introduced in this innovative ambulatory care program. Formal and informal educational opportunities for interdisciplinary team members and students abound. This article describes the development and validation of a compendium of goals and objectives for educating CNS students in ambulatory care.