Challenge, opportunity and development: Influencing factors and tendencies of curriculum innovation on undergraduate nursing education in the mainland of China

Abstract

Abstract Background As the deep influence of traditional medical education, many undergraduate nursing colleges and universities in China still keep the traditional disease-focused curriculum system. However, it became outdated as the Chinese high nursing education developed. Meanwhile, the increasing demand of nursing human resources stimulates the enrollment expansion of colleges. All of these bring more difficulties and opportunities for nurse educators who are endeavoring to reform the undergraduate curriculum. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the related literature, illustrated the existing challenges and opportunities during the curriculum renewal process in China. This paper also analyzed the tendencies of Chinese baccalaureate curriculum innovation. Results Chinese current undergraduate nursing curriculum has larger proportion of basic medical courses, which brings great challenge for nursing educators. In the meantime, the expansion of enrollment brings conflicts with existing nursing education resources in China. Integration, humanization, internationalization and diversification are main tendencies leading the future nursing curriculum innovation in China. Conclusions The more effective teaching innovations in the nursing education system are in great demand.