A process model to guide selection of essential curriculum content

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop and test the usefulness of a process model to identify guidelines for selecting essential content in undergraduate nursing curricula from nursing and related disciplines. The study was designed to test the usefulness of the model. Usefulness was determined by evaluating the operationalization of the model and the product resulting from operationalization of the model. The criteria of practicality, purposiveness, realism, and judiciousness were used. The model consists of four steps. In Step 1, the content area is delineated. Step 2 consists of a review of the literature of both disciplines. Analysis and synthesis of this information results in guidelines, stated in conceptual terms and accompanied by brief rationale, for essential content. In Step 3, educators and clinicians are interviewed to determine reliability and validity of the guidelines. In Step 4, guidelines are revised based on comments obtained in Step 3. Operationalization of the model using nutrition content resulted in five content and three process guidelines. Both the process described by the model and the guidelines which resulted from that process were evaluated as useful. Suggestions for future research using the model are made.