Journal of Advanced Nursing 1979, 4, 79-85
Applications to undergraduate nursing courses Dafiiel u 4l^es M. Phil. S.R.N. R.N.MS. R.N.T. Principal Lecturer in Nursing, Department of Health Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic
B.A. Research Associate, Department of Health Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic Accepted for publication 22 August
JONES D . C . & KEIGHLEY A . C . (igjg) Journal of Advanced Nursing 4, 79-85
Applications to undergraduate nursing courses Education of nurses has in recent years developed in centres of higher education, but with a rapid rise in courses offered concern has been expressed that too few suitable applicants may be • available. T'his study has attempted to ascertain actual demand for the courses available by cross-referencing applications to a sample of courses, and has demonstrated a downward trend of suitable applications over the two years 1975 and 1976. A cautionary approach to establishing new courses or increasing numbers on existing courses may be advisable and further comparable work will be carried out to assess the validity of the trends already found.
INTRODUCTION Early American studies (Nutting 1912, Brown 1948) and later British work (Royal College of Nursing 1964, Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1972) have stressed the importance of moving the education of nurses away from traditional or apprenticeship training (Pomeranz 1973) in hospital schools of nursing to centres of higher education. In Britain the move began with a diploma course at Manchester University in 1959 (Marsh 1978), closely followed by a degree course in social sciences with nursing at the University of Edinburgh in i960. Since that time the number of degree courses leading to SRN (RGN in Scotland) and a university or Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) degree have increased rapidly, until in 1978 there were 17 ongoing with a further two due to commence later in 1978 (Nursing and Hospital Careers Information Centre 1977). Courses available include degrees in nursing per se, combined social sciences and nursing, and combined life sciences and nursing. O3O9-2404/79/oioo-oo79$O2.oo ©1979 Blackwell Scientific Publications
79
8o
Daniel C. Jones and A. C. Keighley
Cause for concern This rapid increase in the number of courses has, however, given rise to the concern, expressed by course directors and by participants at the Association of Integrated and Degree Courses in Nursing (AIDCN) meetings over recent years, that too few applications from suitably qualified candidates may be received to justify the establishment of further new courses or expansion of the number of places on existing courses. Two recently established courses had to defer their date of commencement as it was not possible to recruit sufficient candidates in time. Accepting that late advertising may have been a contributory factor, doubts were again raised at the time concerning the availability of suitable candidates. The numbers of applications to courses in further and higher education have increased continuously (UCCA 1977). However, these statistics are not sufficiently detailed to allow an assessment of the applications to nursing degree courses. To ascertain actual demand, and to give an indication of future trends, this survey has been undertaken.
THE SURVEY The survey was commenced in 1977 and thus the most up-to-date statistics on applications were for the academic year 1976/77. Due to the inadequacy of available data for 1974/75 it was necessary to confine the survey to the years 197SI76 and 1976/77. The courses studied were all based solely in centres of higher education, these being: Three nursing courses in polytechnics Two nursing courses in universities Two nursing and social science courses in universities One nursing and life science course in a university. To ascertain the number of candidates who applied to both polytechnics and universities it was necessary to obtain the names of candidates from each polytechnic (there being no central clearing house for polytechnics) and to compare these lists with those held by UCCA. By cross-referencing it was possible to discover to how many of the eight institutions each candidate applied. In addition, course directors were requested to supply, for the relevant years, figures relating to: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Places available on the course Applications received Candidates interviewed Places offered with and without interview Acceptance/refusal of offers Numbers joining the course Numbers leaving during the first year.
A 100% response rate was obtained.
Applications to undergraduate nursing courses
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Applications to undergraduate nursing courses Dafiiel u 4l^es M. Phil. S.R.N. R.N.MS. R.N.T. Principal Lecturer in Nursing, Department of Health Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic
B.A. Research Associate, Department of Health Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic Accepted for publication 22 August
JONES D . C . & KEIGHLEY A . C . (igjg) Journal of Advanced Nursing 4, 79-85
Applications to undergraduate nursing courses Education of nurses has in recent years developed in centres of higher education, but with a rapid rise in courses offered concern has been expressed that too few suitable applicants may be • available. T'his study has attempted to ascertain actual demand for the courses available by cross-referencing applications to a sample of courses, and has demonstrated a downward trend of suitable applications over the two years 1975 and 1976. A cautionary approach to establishing new courses or increasing numbers on existing courses may be advisable and further comparable work will be carried out to assess the validity of the trends already found.
INTRODUCTION Early American studies (Nutting 1912, Brown 1948) and later British work (Royal College of Nursing 1964, Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1972) have stressed the importance of moving the education of nurses away from traditional or apprenticeship training (Pomeranz 1973) in hospital schools of nursing to centres of higher education. In Britain the move began with a diploma course at Manchester University in 1959 (Marsh 1978), closely followed by a degree course in social sciences with nursing at the University of Edinburgh in i960. Since that time the number of degree courses leading to SRN (RGN in Scotland) and a university or Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) degree have increased rapidly, until in 1978 there were 17 ongoing with a further two due to commence later in 1978 (Nursing and Hospital Careers Information Centre 1977). Courses available include degrees in nursing per se, combined social sciences and nursing, and combined life sciences and nursing. O3O9-2404/79/oioo-oo79$O2.oo ©1979 Blackwell Scientific Publications
79
8o
Daniel C. Jones and A. C. Keighley
Cause for concern This rapid increase in the number of courses has, however, given rise to the concern, expressed by course directors and by participants at the Association of Integrated and Degree Courses in Nursing (AIDCN) meetings over recent years, that too few applications from suitably qualified candidates may be received to justify the establishment of further new courses or expansion of the number of places on existing courses. Two recently established courses had to defer their date of commencement as it was not possible to recruit sufficient candidates in time. Accepting that late advertising may have been a contributory factor, doubts were again raised at the time concerning the availability of suitable candidates. The numbers of applications to courses in further and higher education have increased continuously (UCCA 1977). However, these statistics are not sufficiently detailed to allow an assessment of the applications to nursing degree courses. To ascertain actual demand, and to give an indication of future trends, this survey has been undertaken.
THE SURVEY The survey was commenced in 1977 and thus the most up-to-date statistics on applications were for the academic year 1976/77. Due to the inadequacy of available data for 1974/75 it was necessary to confine the survey to the years 197SI76 and 1976/77. The courses studied were all based solely in centres of higher education, these being: Three nursing courses in polytechnics Two nursing courses in universities Two nursing and social science courses in universities One nursing and life science course in a university. To ascertain the number of candidates who applied to both polytechnics and universities it was necessary to obtain the names of candidates from each polytechnic (there being no central clearing house for polytechnics) and to compare these lists with those held by UCCA. By cross-referencing it was possible to discover to how many of the eight institutions each candidate applied. In addition, course directors were requested to supply, for the relevant years, figures relating to: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Places available on the course Applications received Candidates interviewed Places offered with and without interview Acceptance/refusal of offers Numbers joining the course Numbers leaving during the first year.
A 100% response rate was obtained.
Applications to undergraduate nursing courses
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