Integrated course assessments in an undergraduate nursing program

Curriculum integration is a partnership amongst multidisciplinary members to create a cohesive curriculum and improve education. Basic and clinical science integration helps students learn deeply. Integrated curricula facilitate students to become lifelong learners. It encourages critical thinking and clinical reflection and helps students become active, self-directed learners. A comprehensive integrated exam was conducted at Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and midwifery to establish meaningful learning and enhance theoretical knowledge application in clinical practice, using competencies from four different courses in second year of study. Comprehensive Integrated Exam prepared students to assess a client and design complete nursing care based on health assessment, adult health nursing, pharmacology, and pathophysiology course concepts. This integrated exam was very effective as 97 % of students who took the exam passed on their first attempt. Faculty members involved found the comprehensive integrated exam a successful strategy to evaluate students learning, whereas the students related that this exam helped them to bridge the gap between applying theoretical concepts from different courses to clinical practice.

Automated summary

Curriculum integration is a partnership that aims to create a cohesive curriculum and improve education by integrating basic and clinical sciences. It helps students become lifelong learners and develop critical thinking skills. A comprehensive integrated exam at Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and midwifery was conducted to assess students' ability to apply theoretical knowledge in clinical practice. The exam proved to be effective, with a high pass rate, and both faculty members and students found it beneficial in bridging the gap between theory and practice.