A study of nurse tutors' opinion on some issues related to nursing education

Abstract

1. OBJECTIVES This study was initiated in order to find out the opinion of qualified nurse teachers on a number of issues relating to nursing education; in particular, their views regarding the preparation of nurse teachers.Much has been written recently about the changing role of the nurse, but little thought seems to have been given to the preparation of the nurse teachers who are responsible for planning and implementing nurse training programmes.Since 1965, nurses have been able to qualify for Registration as Nurse Teachers by the General Nursing Councils by taking courses of one year's duration. These shortened courses have been established alongside existing two -year courses in an effort to increase the number of qualified teachers. Some nurses feel, however, that the complexity of present day clinical practice, changes in the organisation of the nursing administrative struc- :ture, together with changes in general education and in the social environment of nursing, were not given sufficient considera- :tion when statutory approval was given for reducing the length of teacher training.Nurse teachers have at no time been asked to express their views on this issue. The present survey was an attempt to obtain their opinions, not only about the education of nurse teachers, but about some of the issues which must be taken into consideration when a policy for nurse teacher training is being decided.2. METHOD (a) Sampling The Scottish sample consisted of all qualified nurse tutors employed full -time in Scotland on May 1st, 1970: registered nurse tutors (N = 123), midwife teachers (N = 36) , health visitor and district nurse tutors (N = 13) . The English sample consisted of all registered nurse tutors who successfully completed a tutors' course in Britain in 1968 and were employed in England on May 1st, 1970 (N = 67). (b) Data collection and response rate Information was obtained by postal questionnaire with an overall response rate of 84.7 per cent from the Scottish sample and 66.3 per cent for the a::ng lish sample. (c) Data analysis Comparison was made between the opinions of the respondents according to (1) their professional category, (2) sex, (3) the institution at which they took the tutors' course. Statistical analysis was based on the chi-square test, P < 2.05 being taken as the level of significance.3. Findings The majority of respondents, in all categories, were in favour of raising the educational requirements for student nurses and of establishing an entry requirement for pupil nurses. Nearly 80 per cent of the respondents in the Scottish sample thought that students for the register should be required to have passes at Higher or Advanced level. As regards compulsory subjects, those mentioned most frequently for students were English, a foreign language, human biology, mathematics and science. Over 75 per cent of respondents said that English at Ordinary level should be compulsory for pupils. On the whole, respondents were optimistic about effects of raising the school leaving age, assuming that this would attract more and better qualified school leavers. The implementation of the Salmon structure was seen by about one third of the respondents as providing the principal of a school of nursing with greater administrative opportunity; about the same number were doubtful whether structural reorganisation would, in practice, change traditional professional relationships. Approximately 80 per cent of the respondents believed that the grouping of nursing schools would provide more autonomy for educational administrators. More than a third of the respondents said that they did not know whether, or how, the reorganisation of the rational Health Service would affect nursing education. Some suggested that all nurses would in future have to learn about nursing in the community as well as about the care of patients .in hospital. There was significant difference of opinion between registered nurse teachers and midwife teachers regarding the advisability of establishing one statutory body responsible for all nursing education. Over 80 per cent of the registered nurse teachers were in favour of the idea, over 50 per cent of the midwife teachers were against it. Regarding the preparation of nurse teachers two-year courses were favoured by the majority of respondents in the Scottish sample. A high percentage of the respondents said that a tutors' course should be in a university, preferably providing an opportunity to combine teacher training with a degree programme.The Report of the Committee on Nursing was presented to Parliament in October 1972, after this study was completed. The Committee did not recommend any minimum educational entry requirement for nursing. It proposed that there should be one statutory body responsible for all nursing and midwifery education, and that all tutors' courses should be of one year's duration. These, and the other proposals contained in the heport, are at present being discussed by the nursing and midwifery professions, and it is not known to what extent the recouunendations will be implemented.