The Colorado Nursing Articulation Model: 2001-2005
Publication of the Colorado Trust
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Content Validation Summary
To develop the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model to facilitate educational mobility for licensed practical nurses, associate degree and diploma registered nurses, a method to validate prior learning without testing had to be established. Content validation was chosen as this method. All of the curricula from the licensed practical nurse programs had to be reviewed for similarity of content with associate degree nurse curricula, and associate degree nurse curricula had to be compared to junior-level baccalaureate nursing curricula. Currently, there are not any diploma registered nurse programs in Colorado; therefore, their content could not be validated.
Since faculty have responsibility for curricula, it was decided that they would be the most appropriate groups to perform this task. Representatives from each program in the state in the specialty areas of medical/surgical, pediatric, maternal and child, and psychiatric nursing were asked to serve on committees to accomplish this task. The first attempts to review each course without a framework to match content were not very successful. Therefore, with permission, the ACT Proficiency Examination Test Outlines were utilized as a framework, because many of the programs used them to award credit for previous nursing knowledge.
Faculty from each of the five specialty areas met to discuss the content covered and its depth in their area of teaching. Each group was asked to record if the content areas listed on the outline were not taught at all (0), or in an introductory (1), basic (2), moderate (3) or in depth (4) level. A score of 0-4 was then assigned to each content area. Following this procedure, which took several days of meetings, a form was developed for each program that clearly showed what material was covered and at what level in each specialty area. A composite form was then compiled by the project staff representing licensed practical nurse and associate degree nurse programs in each specialist area. Each program could determine what adjustments were needed in its content to meet these newly defined minimums.
Baccalaureate nursing programs did not participate in this process because the articulation process stops there. However, faculty participated to determine if the content recorded was equivalent to that of the junior year of each program. Each program was therefore able to determine if any redundant content or areas of deficiency existed that would need strengthening. Every program in the state had to make adjustments in its curriculum in order to meet the challenge of the articulation model.
After this initial content validation was completed, each specialty area and an area of leadership content have been validated periodically. Frameworks for this content review have been revised as needed by faculty groups.
Validation through curriculum comparison is a major component of content validation. However, because it is recognized that all students may not learn or retain what has been taught, an escrow system for nursing credits was also established. Nursing credits for each studentÕs prior learning are placed in an escrow account at the receiving institution. This credit is placed on the transcript after the nurse successfully completes approximately one semester of full-time nursing course work. Through success at a higher level, the nurse demonstrates prior nursing knowledge, resulting in the award of credit.
The process of content validation is not an easy one to deal with, but it is critical to the articulation process; in the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model there is content validation both through curriculum validation and individual validation.
Copyright 8 2000, by the
Colorado Council on Nursing Education.
Permission to copy material from this model is granted
with the stipulation that the Colorado Council on Nursing
Education be cited as the author.