Context

In Europe, the education of nurses has currently evolved towards a preparation which is mostly delivered at a higher education level. In some countries, this development poses certain problems related to a lack of infrastructure and resources to support such a change, including preparation for nurse educators and for institutions to meet these new demands.  Nurse educators must develop specific skills during their preparation and must continue to develop lifelong professional competencies through access to continuing professional development. Nurse education requires teachers who can consistently prepare nursing students at this new level. A common standard of education is necessary if effective mobility for nurses is to remain a reality.  However, there are notable disparities across Europe today on the question of how nurse educators are trained, and the skills which must be required in order to prepare a student-nurse at this new degree.

General objective

FINE, in association with the department of nursing science at the University of Turku, has organized a workshop that concentrates on exploring the education and skills that must be obtained by nurse educators, in order to teach nursing care in Europe.

The main objectives of this workshop are to compare and exchange current practices and nurse educator skills in order to harmonize and review education programs for nurse educators. It is anticipated that this will:

Encourage nurse educator mobility across the European Union and encourage participation and the sharing of experiences, as well as spur participation in the development of research.

Specific Objectives

• Identify the necessary skills for teachers of nursing science in Europe.

• Identify levels and programs for nurse educators across Europe.

• Identify the necessary pedagogical strategies for the development of competencies which must be acquired by nurses.

• Produce some recommendations.

• Contribute actively to the work of committees and societies going forward and to the work of the European Commission.