Sarjeet Gill

Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Resurrecting the 'academic rigor.' Darragh O Keeffe has done a good job researching the lack of academic rigor in certificate III courses. However, he inaccurately indicated that there is academic rigor in RN programs run by Universities. As an Ex Lecturer in Health Sciences who taught BSN students (in Australia) I am of the view that academic rigor is lacking in University Programs too. The Institutional behaviours of RTO and Universities are the same. As long as RNs or colleagues were willing to tick off or sign off RN students as competent then the students were deemed to be competent. This information was passed on to the Board of Nurses who gave the student formal registration as Registered Nurses. I am of the view that both the Universities (who are supposed to provide the academic rigor) and the hospitals (who are supposed to provide the clinical experience) are relinquishing their responsibilities. A different system of assessment for competence is needed. The assessors should be independent.