Online Practical Nursing Degree, Nursing Degree Advice Needed

Q: Im currently undertaking the specialist pratice degree course. I am looking for any articles relating tho the following: (1) teaching and learning styles (2) change management theory If anyone can point me in the right direction I would be really grateful.

A: I'm a student nurse on a mental health asessment unit, and my mentor is currently doing an essay about learning styles as part of her PP126. She has covered subjects such as; andragogy and pedagogy (teaching styles), and theories such as Transactional analysis. For managing change, try; 'Prochaska's Theory', forcefield theory, stages of change (by Manion, 1995, Andrews, 1993 and Parrish, 1996), and; facilitating change (power-coercive, empirical-rational and normative-re-educative). I don't have all references, but if you type these words in to a search engine, you should get loads of info. I find it fascinating to read about all the various programs that eventually lead to the longed for "RN". (I doubt that any of my instructors are listening in, so I can speak freely). I go to a small community college in NH. (The one that President Clinton selected for his graduation speech four years ago - that should draw some ugly faces from Danno and Patti W. right?)We bring our umbrellas to class whenever it rains, because the roof leaks like a sieve. If you want to find a book in the library, you usually have to crawl under the heavy plastic that covers the shelves. Don't forget to bring a flashlight. But - the drop out rate is minim, 98% of the graduates pass the NCLEX first try, and everybody has a nursing job after graduation. Our freshman class is 29 strong, and there is a strong spirit of hanging together and being supportive of each other. We do gripe about some of our instructors at times, but compared with what some of you have to put up with, we are pretty lucky. Clinicals up to now were a pure joy, half the nurses I've met came from our college and are extremely helpful and cheerful. One afternoon we practiced giving injections to our oranges, the next day I had to do it to a real person, no problem. The needle went in just as calm and sweet as you would like it, and I got a compliment from my patient. There just wasn't time to get jittery about it. After the first semester, those of us who haven't got a CNA license, get their paperwork filled in by the school, take it to the State Board of Nursing, pay their $25.-- and presto, everybody is a licensed CNA now. After the second semester, we have the opportunity to take the NCLEX for LPN, good practice and adds a few dollars to your paycheck. After two years,

we go for the ADN - RN. Those of us who want to continue studying for BSN, can then switch over to the State University, where they get full credit for everything that they had done at the college (and for which they paid half the tuition that University students pay). Plus they will make the salaries of RNs while getting their next degree. The study pace is incredibly fast, like it is everywhere, and though we don't always agree with the test questions, we have never had anything quite as upsetting as Bonzai's IDDM - DKA question. Kevin may call it the "New England Exile", but I quite enjoy it up here. And now back to six more chapters of A&P for the finals.