Qualifications of Graduates according to Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and Desired Outcome of Education to Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Suphanburi

Abstract

The objective of this descriptive study was to study the employer satisfaction with the quality of nursing student graduates, according to the Thai Qualifications Framework (TQF) for Higher Education in Nursing and Desired Outcomes of Education at the Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Suphanburi during the academic year 2018. Our population sample included 80 employers of graduated nurses. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Seventy-five employers returned the questionnaires, resulting in a 93.75 % response rate. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA.

The results showed that employers were satisfied with the quality of the graduates according to the TQF, which contains six domains. The ethics and moral domain had the highest mean score for satisfaction (  =4.63, S.D.=0.32). Respondents reported the lowest mean score for satisfaction for the cognitive skill domain ( =4.15, S.D. =0.35). As measured by the Desired Outcomes of Education, employers were satisfied with all aspects at high level (  =4.26). Among the various outcomes, employers had the highest satisfaction with the Active Citizen outcome (  = 4.17, S.D. = 0.66), followed by the Co- creator outcome (  =3.98, S.D. =0.23). For the TQF domain of numerical analysis, communication, and information technology skills, scores of graduates working at secondary hospitals were significantly higher than those working at tertiary hospitals (p < 0.05). These results can be used as basic information for nursing education administrators. They can also be used to plan and adjust the teaching and learning processes that enhance students’ critical thinking and improve their English language skills.