Nurses' perceptions of nursing education transformation and its impact on care delivery in Singapore.

Abstract

To explore nurses' perceptions of the transformation in Singapore's nursing education and its impact on the delivery of nursing care. Nursing education in Singapore has sailed through a sea of changes, from the apprenticeship model of training in hospitals to institutions of higher learning. Limited primary studies have explored the evolution of nursing education, and none have explored its impact on the delivery of nursing care, based on nurses' perceptions. A descriptive qualitative design with purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit 18 experienced nurses from local teaching institutions and healthcare clusters. Semistructured individual face-to-face interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research reporting guideline was used to report the study. Five themes emerged: 'evolution of the nursing education approach', 'clinical learning environments', 'evaluation of changes in the nursing education approach', 'attitudes toward the provision of various levels of education' and 'influences of various competencies on the delivery of nursing care'. Changes in teaching pedagogies, learning, assessment, curriculum structure, content and clinical learning environment were commonly reported, which provided insights into understanding nursing education transformation and its impact on nursing practice. The findings could better prepare nurses for the demanding needs of the contemporary healthcare landscape. Nurse educators and leaders should evaluate gaps in nursing education and implement strategies to improve students' learning experiences and outcomes. Policy-makers can draw on our findings to revise the core competencies guidelines and improve future training by supporting the healthcare needs of society.