Transforming higher education and the professional preparation of nurses

Since the early 1990s, nurse education in the UK has been directly influenced by Department of Health policy and by the structure and management of higher education. Market forces, consumer values, increasing demand for quality and accountability, and technological advances have influenced the academic landscape and the provision for nurse education within it. Despite the recent Government confirmation that new nurses will all be educated to degree level from 2013, the future direction of nursing, and nurse education, is still far from certain. The Government proposes significant change to the higher educational sector in order to enhance employer engagement. Foundation degrees are an integral component of the Government's policy for developing the vocational skills and for widening participation in higher education. As a result of this, and other policy initiatives, it is likely that a smaller supply of graduate nurses will provide future leadership and supervision in the delivery of nursing. It is also likely that there will be greater demand for postgraduate-level education for registered nurses.