Competencies of liberal education in post-RN baccalaureate students: a longitudinal study

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the relationship among liberal education competencies as demonstrated in the professional and personal lives of post-RN students and time spent in a BScN program. The six competencies identified by Dressel (1979) and used by Bottoms (1988) to define the liberally educated person provided the framework for this study. The Dressel competencies have been validated in the literature as being representative of the universe of competencies that are anticipated outcomes of baccalaureate nursing education. Results indicated that after 5 years of part-time study at the baccalaureate level, significant differences were found in the competencies of liberal education as demonstrated in the professional and personal lives of post-RN learners. The competencies as demonstrated in the professional lives of post-RN learners developed consistently over time, while the development of competencies as demonstrated in the personal lives of learners lagged behind. The study contributes to the small but growing body of literature which explores the impact of a liberal education on post-RN learners.