Date of Graduation
1989
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The problem investigated in this research was an historical study of the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses and its impact upon standards of nursing education in West Virginia between 1950-1987. The study followed the historiography methodological approach and it was based upon Kurt Lewin's theoretical constructs of change: Stage 1: Unfreezing; Stage 2: Changing or Implementation (Referred to in this study as "Transition" and "Expansion"); Stage 3: Refreezing. The factors considered to affect change were limited to selected socioeconomic, professional, and legal factors. This study documented the impact of the Board, as influenced by these four factors, on the standards of nursing education in West Virginia. The activities of the Board that influenced these standards and characteristics of schools of nursing in West Virginia between 1950-1987 were documented according to time periods: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Data were treated in chronological order and trends in the development of nursing education standards were documented. Relevant background information that occurred between 1907-1947 was documented to provide insight in the evolvement of nursing education standards between 1950-1987. "The 1950s: The Period of Unfreezing" revealed that the greatest changes in nursing education standards were initiated during this period. "The 1960s: The Period of Transition" and "The 1970s: The Period of Expansion" documented the influence that the Board had upon nursing education standards and changing characteristics of schools of nursing. "The 1980s: The Period of Refreezing" described the stabilization of schools of nursing. It was concluded that the Board was a positive force in the development of nursing education standards in West Virginia. The specific nursing education standards were developed as a result of socioeconomic, professional, and legal factors. The major revisions of the nursing education standards occurred in 1952, 1960, 1965, and 1977. The characteristics of schools of nursing changed significantly between 1950-1987 as a result of nursing education standards. The trends in the development of nursing education standards became more sophisticated as the factors became more complex. Sample of forms that were used in the collection of selected data were included in the Appendix.
Recommended Citation
Morton, Giovanna Lucia, "Historical study--West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (1950-1987): Impact on standards of nursing education in West Virginia." (1989). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 9456.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/9456