Future Direction of Nursing Education in Pakistani Context

Abstract

Nursing is the back bone of the health care system. There are only nurses who stay 24 hours with patient to improve patents healing process. Therefore, better patient outcome mostly depends on quality of nursing care provided to the patients. In Pakistan nursing profession is gaining attraction because it deals with the increasing demands of health problems. Chronic diseases, prolongation of old ages (geriatric care) and increasing demands of nursing service become integral part of quality health care system in Pakistan. In Pakistan advancement in medical field transformation is taking place in nursing education, nursing is operant part of health, growing very rapidly, acquiring more advance nursing education, and conducting researches in the field of nursing is a priority of the day. The specialized filed in nursing is focused by developed countries to deal with current and future demands of health care system. Pakistan is developing country and still is in transition period; at the time of independent there were only three nursing schools to train nurses with the absent of uniform curricula but the nursing education transformed from six months nursing training PHD to full fil the current need of nursing care but there is a need to more focus on nursing profession to empower this profession to become a part of our health care system. Research papers were evaluated to discuss the strategies and future direction of nursing education in Pakistan. Published articles were obtained systematically from google scholar, Midline, Pub med, porringer and science hub. Total 19 articles were included for review. Permission was taken from University concern institution. Articles which were published in English and not more than 10 years old with full version were included in this study and those articles which were not written in English and were published before 10 years. Curriculum reforms, distance education, clinical simulation, capacity building, virtual education program, cultural exchange program, PHD followership and nurse educators training programs were predicted strong antecedents of future direction of nursing education. Educational transformation is moving from diploma nursing to baccalaureate program followed by MSN program to overcome future challenges of nursing education which has direct relation with patient care.