A Perspective on Teaching an Introductory Biostatistics Sequence in a College of Nursing at a University Medical Center

• Activity Number: 495
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
• Author(s): Mary J. Kwasny*+
• Companies: Northwestern University
• Keywords: Teaching ; Introductory Biostatistics ; Nursing

Abstract

Between 1999 and 2007, over 25 introductory or mid-level biostatistics courses were taught to more than 700 nursing students at an academic medical center which did not have a Department of Biostatistics. With limited biostatistical resources, a single course was designed to accommodate undergraduate, masters, and doctoral level nursing students, as well as students from other disciplines, as need dictated. The nursing program curriculum underwent major changes including decreasing the sequence from three courses to two, and transitioning from in-person to both in-person and on-line formats. Initially the sequence was offered through the Department of Preventive Medicine, where a Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology was housed. As of the fall 2002 quarter, the sequence was offered through the College of Nursing. Persistent concerns included: finding and training teaching assistants, the selection of appropriate books, and selection and upgrades of statistical software. This paper highlights the changes in the curriculum, these issues, discuss processes by which they were resolved, the impact on students, and offer reflections on how some of these issues may have been avoided.