Anna Löfmark

Nursing education in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden – from Bachelor’s Degree to PhD

AIM This paper is a discussion of the similarities and differences in baccalaureate nursing education programme structures, content and pathways to postbaccalaureate education in the Scandinavian countries. BACKGROUND For the last three decades nursing education internationally, as well as in the Scandinavian countries, has experienced ongoing reforms. The driving forces behind these reforms have been efforts for professional development within nursing and to harmonize higher education in several European countries. DATA SOURCES The data were collected by a critical review of the guiding principles, national directives and educational structures and content of Bachelors degree programmes from 1990 to 2008 and of further educational levels in the four Scandinavian countries. DISCUSSION There are similarities as well as substantial differences in the educational structures, contents and lengths in the different nursing programmes. Nursing education is organized in the three cycles described in the Bologna Process, but there are differences regarding names and terms for degrees and allocation of European Credit Transfer System credits. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Policymakers need to consider more carefully the directives in the Bologna Declaration when planning and implementing nursing programmes at Bachelors and postgraduate levels. Knowledge of the content and structure of nursing education in these countries may enhance development and cooperation between institutions. CONCLUSION A challenge for the ministries of education in the Scandinavian countries is to compare and coordinate nursing educational programmes in order to enable nursing students, educators, researchers and nurses to study and work in Scandinavia, Europe or even globally.

Strengthening and updating supervising staff nurses in educational workshops--an international partnership project.

As part of a collaborative project involving Tanzania and Sweden, workshops were arranged for staff nurses in order to develop a forum for discussing the raised demands for supervision of nursing students during their clinical education. The aim was to meet nurses in educational workshops to initiate a dialogue on their views and experiences of supporting and supervising nursing students in their clinical studies. Their experiences of the workshops were also requested. Two groups of nurses in Tanzania (n=30), and six groups in Sweden (n=60) participated. The content, which was agreed between the project leaders in Tanzania and Sweden was carried out either on a whole day workshops or divided at three different occasions. Questionnaires were given before and about two months after, and workshops were also evaluated with an open-ended question immediately after. The nurses both in Tanzania and in Sweden appreciated the workshops as a possibility to create a dialogue and to discuss challenges in the supervision of students. Their views and experiences of the supervision role showed awareness of staff nurses as role models and teachers. Accomplishment of this partnership co-operation through arranging workshops has shown to be an easy and simple way of giving support to staff nurses for the supervision task.

Nursing students’ perceptions of peer learning as a learning model in clinical practice and students’ learning through peer learning - an evaluation study

The study is an evaluation of peer learning, a model for learning in clinical practice where two students learn together and are supervised by one preceptor. The aim was to gain knowledge about how the nursing students experienced peer learning as a learning model when it was introduced in a hospital ward. The study was performed using a questionnaire with open and closed questions from 23 students. The results show that students experienced good control over the tasks they were responsible for and perceived increased independence and responsibility for the patients they cared for depending on the organization and clear structure in the model. Peer learning provided a good and instructive collaboration where students discussed and supported each other. Some students wanted a longer period with one preceptor before starting peer learning, and some students mentioned it could be challenging to be supervised by two preceptors in the peer learning period. However, the majority suggested peer learning as a permanent teaching model in clinical practice.

Post Bologna - Master Level Nurse Education in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden : A Literature Review

Post Bologna - Master Level Nurse Education in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden : A Literature Review