Quality Assurance in Nursing Education: A Qualitative Study Involving Students and Newly Graduated Nurses

Olga María López-Entrambasaguas, María José Calero-García, Ana María Díaz-Meco-Niño and José Manuel Martínez-Linares
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Olga María López-Entrambasaguas: Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
María José Calero-García: Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
Ana María Díaz-Meco-Niño: Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
José Manuel Martínez-Linares: Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-11

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.

Keywords: education; nursing; nursing education research; nurses; qualitative research; students; nursing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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