<p> Literature evaluating the impact of faculty workload on student outcomes of graduation and first-time pass for the National Council on Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN&reg;) is limited. Current models of workload are not specific and do not define the number of hours the faculty spends doing the work. In this day of decreased funding and increased requirement for quality in academia, it is important for nurse educators to understand how quality program outcomes, finances, and faculty workload are connected and impact student involvement. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the program outcomes of graduation and first-time pass on the National Council on Licensure Examination &ndash; Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN&reg;) for Bachelor of Science Nursing Accelerated (BSNA) student graduates in programs that used a traditional faculty workload model versus a clock hour faculty workload model.</p><p> The study, though limited, did begin to evaluate the impact of faculty workload on program outcomes. The intent and goals of the study were to research traditional workload models and alternative models proposed to address the cost of education and establish a baseline of how the models may impact program outcomes. In addition, the intent included evaluating how future changes may ultimately impact the student. Implications of the study included the consideration by faculty, school of nursing administration, and university administration of how faculty workload impacts the classroom and practice environment. Recommendations for further research conclude the study. </p>

The purpose of this study was to identify, through a needs analysis, the skills required of the clinical supervisory role in certified home health agencies as described in the literature and as perceived by clinical supervisors and agency administrators. The identified skills were then used to propose elements for a training curriculum. The general problem guiding this research is the lack of a systematic approach to supervisory training and development in certified home health agencies in Massachusetts that may result in supervisory employees being inadequately prepared to assume the responsibility of that role. A descriptive survey design was utilized. A questionnaire was mailed to first-line clinical supervisors and their administrators to assess the skill requirements of the supervisory role as perceived by these respective groups. The sample survey, which consisted of 125 certified home health agencies, was obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The response rate was 63% for the administrators and 65% for the supervisors. A modified version of the conceptual framework of the needs identification process as presented by Watson (1979) was utilized in conducting the analysis, and the skills were categorized using Katz's model (1974) of conceptual, technical, and human competencies. The findings of the analyses showed that the administrative respondents perceived a greater need for the skill development of their supervisors in all three areas of conceptual, technical, and human skills than the supervisors perceived for themselves. In addition, supervisory respondents with 6-10 years of professional experience and those with over 21 years of supervisory experience reported the greatest need in all three areas. The findings also showed that the majority of incumbent supervisors in certified home health agencies were technically at an entry-level stage of management, and that the combined responses of both the administrative and supervisory respondents supported the need for additional training in the technical and human skill areas. As a result, the concluding recommendations for curricula development for training programs for incumbent and future clinical supervisors were focused on those skills specific to the technical and human competency areas as described in the study.