title: A review of curriculum evaluation in United Kingdom nursing education.
abstract: Recently we have witnessed several significant changes to the nursing curriculum in the United Kingdom (UK). This review forms part of a larger study evaluating the 'fitness for practice' elements of the nursing curriculum in Scotland. Systematic review methods were used including the following databases: CINAHL and BNI. Twenty six papers were retrieved and 14 remained after applying the review criteria, the main rationale being the empirical focus. It appears that there is a paucity of research in this area in the UK and papers dealt exclusively with either content, process or outcome evaluation of the nursing curriculum. National, well funded, multi-centre studies tended to be more rigorous. Results, where they were positive about curricular changes, tended to be limited. There is clearly a need for rigorous research into curriculum evaluation, both at the micro and macro level, which investigates content, process and outcome. Without such research, curriculum change will be uninformed.
authors.affiliation: University of Dundee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tayside Campus, Ninewells, Dundee DD9 9YS, United Kingdom. m.roxburgh@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roxburgh
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lauder
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Topping
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015402:Nursing Education Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012107:Research Design; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012606:Scotland; D006113:United Kingdom