Características de los grupos de discusión

A comparison of science content of the various nursing schools in New Zealand shows that changes to the science curriculum occurs in many schools (Table 5.3). As there is not much guidance from the Nursing Council as to what breadth and

depth of content is required in nursing science education, nursing schools determine curriculum through interpreting broad policy from the Council and combining this with stakeholder input, hence it is subject to variety in content between nursing schools. There is also variation in who teaches it (e.g., a nurse or a scientist – see Table 5.3) and how it is taught and in entry criteria.

By 2006, the Nursing Council of New Zealand had changed the entry to nursing degrees from requiring 42 credits at Level 3 to specifying that all applicants required the New Zealand University Entrance Standard (set by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee which dictates the amount of credits required to matriculate at university in New Zealand) to enter a nursing degree (Vice- Chancellors Committee, 2010). However, this only dictates the number and level of credits required, not the subjects required – these are set by individual educational providers. Some nursing schools started to state that science courses at senior high school were required to enter nursing. Auckland University specified that nurses require 16 credits in NCEA Level 3 from one of biology, chemistry or physics with those with merit and excellence will earn more ‘points’ towards gaining entry to the competitive first year, which is a common Health Science year (Auckland University, 2010). Auckland University of Technology required for entry to nursing 14 credits at Level 3 in one of biology, chemistry, physics or mathematics at Level 3 (Auckland University of Technology, 2010). Otago Polytechnic specifies 14 credits in either biology or chemistry (not physics) at Level 3 (Otago Polytechnic, 2010) and the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology accepts 14 credits in biology, physical education or chemistry at Level 3 (Christchurch Polytechnic, 2010). The Southland Institute of Technology requires 14 credits Level 3 or higher in science related subjects (Southland Institute of Technology, 2010).

The distinction between these schools is that the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology specifies the number of credits required in one of the subjects, whereas the other institutes allow the specified credits to accumulate from all the accepted subjects (biology, chemistry etc.). Some schools do not specify any science credits or courses required for entry (e.g., Unitec, Massey University, Northtec) and those that do, tend to require Level 2 (i.e.,

Manukau Institute of Technology, Waikato Institute of Technology, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, Otago Polytechnic) (Massey University, 2010; Manukau Institute of Technology, 2010; Northtec, 2010; Southland Institute of Technology, 2010; Otago Polytechnic, 2010; Waikato Institute of Technology, 2010;Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, 2010; Unitec, 2010).

A detailed analysis of the teaching material provided for a university post- graduate applied science for registered nurses paper (distance on-line course) showed that there were many content similarities to the undergraduate nursing science courses (Auckland University, 2006). For example, the recommended textbook is the same as used in most of the undergraduate nursing science schools. Although the course material contained scientific terminology that the nurse studying must engage with such as ATP, acidosis, pH, ions, and molecular formulae, it also contained simple descriptions and diagrams of many of simple concepts such as diffusion, osmosis and pH. Many of the objectives appear very similar to expected undergraduate science outcomes, for example, the objectives under microbiology include the ‘review’ of major classes of microbes, differences between viruses and bacteria, differences between gram positive and gram negative, use of antibiotics and resistance to antibiotics (Auckland University, 2006a). Interestingly, the notes within the coursework contained some alternative conceptions to accepted scientific views such as reference to how bacteria are “able to learn novel ways to overcome the antibiotic” (the word “learn” seems inappropriate), and discussion on how viruses do not “have a full set of DNA” (whereas many viruses do not have any DNA, and if it did, what is considered to be a “full set of DNA”) (Auckland University, 2006a, p. 2). The document also stated that viruses enter other cells to hence avoid being exposed to antibiotics (viruses are not susceptible to antibiotics at all) and that “antibiotics destroy the cell walls” of bacteria, suggesting that this is the mode of action for all antibiotics (Auckland University, 2006b, p. 2) seemingly unaware of the other modes of action such as on genetic material or other cellular components). Although this paper was a post-graduate nursing science paper it was not taught by a scientist, but by a nurse (Auckland University, 2009) who had an undergraduate degree in science (physiology and biochemistry), and so possibly was not able to identify

the alternative conceptions in microbiology. It could be, however, that the intention was to simplify the information for the nurse consumer, however, they appear to have been simplified to the point of inaccuracy. The content of the postgraduate paper appears to be reinforcing or reviewing content taught by most undergraduate nursing schools, which suggests that a nurse in clinical practice may be able to integrate and use the knowledge better than an undergraduate (the assumption being that the nurse has forgotten all the undergraduate science). This may be due to the experienced nurse being able to apply context and relevance due to their own clinical practice, in comparison to undergraduate provision, where the nurse has no clinical experience that might make the science knowledge relevant.

In essence, the depth and breadth of content in the postgraduate (masters) applied science paper appears to not be significantly more in depth than the undergraduate nursing programmes (at least in relation to microbiology). This could be due to the course designer placing less importance on this subject than say physiology, or it could suggest that nurses do not retain their undergraduate science knowledge and the information in the postgraduate course appears to be new.