How nurses use curriculum concepts.

A study conducted in 1985 and 1986 attempted to discover if a curriculum based on a conceptual framework results in students using the concepts in a way that indicates they are of value. Results showed that students were able to recognize and articulate some of the concepts examined in the study, but there was no evidence that this ability was transferred to problem-solving activity in either simulation or clinical practice. The central issue to emerge was the lack of predictability of student performance on tasks requiring use of the concepts examined. Further questions were raised regarding the differential performance of students identified as belonging to minority groups.