Challenges in the standardization of nursing education in Europe: A literature study focusing on the implementation of qualification frameworks

Abstract

Two European qualification frameworks for higher education have been developed over the past decades. One of the goals of these are to promote common descriptions of learning outcomes at various levels within higher education. This article describes a) how national qualification frameworks have been perceived within bachelor nursing education, and b) the correspondence between learning outcomes and assessment methods. Evidently, a key factor for success is that the governing entities create a climate for good cooperation within and between the education institutions. However, our findings suggest that the communication between the experts and the educational institutions, who worked with the development and implementation of the national qualifications frameworks, has been far from good enough. Furthermore, there is a need to develop valid criteria for nursing competence, which in turn, could be integrated into the QFs and the NQFs. In this manner, on might secure that nursing education will uphold and meet the highest standards in all educational systems across Europe.