Abstract
Background: Assuring quality training for future nursing professionals is essential to preserving population health and socio-economic development. Quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area places students in a leading role to transform and improve higher education programs. Therefore, an innovative way of reviewing strengths and weaknesses of the nursing education program of a Spanish university has been developed. Objectives: The aim of this paper was to explore the perceptions and opinions of nursing students and newly-qualified nurses regarding the contents of the nursing curriculum in order to improve its quality. Methods: Descriptive and exploratory qualitative research was carried out involving 12 newly-qualified nurses and 12 student nurses. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were performed. Results: Based on the thematic analysis, two themes emerged: improving clinical practices and reviewing the theoretical curriculum. Conclusions: Among the improvements suggested by the participants, the most relevant ones were establishing a clear structure of learning contents in the practicum, and redistributing the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ECTS credits in various courses of the study program. However, additional evidence is needed prior to proceeding with any changes.
Highlights
The regulatory framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) brought about the implementation of quality assessment processes in higher education and other educational institutions, in order to provide societies with guarantees of educational effectiveness
Population health is the base of socio-economic progress of countries and properly trained nursing professionals are in charge of taking care of the people’s health
The findings findings were wereframed framed within withintwo twothemes themesand andsix sixsubthemes subthemesthat thatreflected reflectedthe theexperiences experiences
Summary
The regulatory framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) brought about the implementation of quality assessment processes in higher education and other educational institutions, in order to provide societies with guarantees of educational effectiveness. Higher education is considered fundamental in the socio-economic and cultural development of countries [1]. Population health is the base of socio-economic progress of countries and properly trained nursing professionals are in charge of taking care of the people’s health. In 2005, the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education. Assuring quality training for future nursing professionals is essential to preserving population health and socio-economic development. Higher Education Area places students in a leading role to transform and improve higher education programs. An innovative way of reviewing strengths and weaknesses of the nursing education program of a Spanish university has been developed. Objectives: The aim of this paper was to explore the perceptions and opinions of nursing students and newly-qualified nurses regarding the contents of the nursing curriculum in order to improve its quality. Results: Based on the thematic analysis, two themes emerged: improving clinical practices and reviewing the theoretical curriculum
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
