Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Summary of key outcomes
The BN-Curriculum is evidence that The Department was prepared
to embark on innovative processes to ensure that this new degree
programme was going to meet the needs of the diverse student
population, as well as the needs of future employers of the
graduates. This innovation commenced by encouraging
collaboration between The Department and a number of
stakeholders. The need to change the curriculum was identified by
all, including the stakeholders. The value of this collaboration was
reflected in the positive comments made by the stakeholders
concerned.
One should also not underestimate the effects of the changes on the
employability of the students on graduation. The fact that they had
the opportunity to choose their own specialities through the elective
components of the curriculum would greatly enhance their
suitability to work in specific fields of health care. All concerned
therefore felt that the new curriculum was going to make a major
contribution towards meeting the health needs of the New Zealand
population, as stipulated in the Primary Health Care Policy.
The BN-Programme was developed to encourage greater cultural
safety and sensitivity in the nursing students, which in turn will
benefit the local community once they have graduated. This is an
example of innovative thinking, as it incorporated and recognised
the cultural diversity of both the students and the communities.
Conclusion
However, a word of warning about an overemphasis on the benefits
of collaboration:
“. . . collaboration is not a panacea, nor is it a “cover all”,
umbrella concept for every conceivable form of collaborative
action. It follows that, as researchers, evaluators, policy
makers, trainers, and practitioners adopt or promote a more
coherent, theoretically sound, research supported and
pragmatic conception of collaboration, participating
stakeholders and their diverse constituencies will be able to
obtain one or more of its multiple benefits” (Lawson, 2004, p.
235).
In this curriculum collaboration has evoked very positive responses
from the stakeholders and the lecturing staff. The programme will
be fully implemented by the end of 2008 and the collaborative
partnerships will continue as each semester is being implemented.
The Department has the task to oversee this implementation, and
to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum once the first
graduates enter the health care services of New Zealand.
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