ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: There is currently a global nurse shortage. Initial nursing education is the primary preparation for a robust nursing workforce that must be strengthened. OBJECTIVES: To describe the developing trends of initial nursing education in China from 2006 to 2017 and to analyze related characteristics and issues. DESIGN: A descriptive study with secondary data analysis. METHODS: The numbers, educational-level composition and regional distribution (i.e., East, Central, West, and Northeast regions) of students recruited into initial nursing education programs from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. Changes in the numbers of the nursing workforce from 2006 to 2020 were compared with the changes in education sector to facilitate an interpretation of the development trend of initial nursing education. RESULTS: The number of recruits into initial nursing education programs has increased from 0.38 million in 2006 to 0.44 million in 2008, and maintained between 0.5 million and 0.54 million during 2009 to 2017. Students recruited to secondary diploma, advanced diploma, and baccalaureate degree programs accounted for 50.55% (71.46% in 2009), 39.36% and 10.09% of the total in 2017, respectively. There were 3.34 nurses per 1000 population in 2020, a substantial increase from 1.09 in 2006. The regional distribution of recruits was imbalanced, with more recruits per 1000 population in the West (0.49), Central (0.40), Northeast (0.34) and the least in the East (0.26) in 2017. The distribution of nurses was relatively balanced among the four regions. CONCLUSIONS: The development in initial nursing education in China is significant from 2006 to 2017. The education sector recruited and graduated about 0.5 million nursing students respectively per year in recent years. If simply considering the number of recruits, it could meet the workforce demands, however, to further upgrade nurses' educational preparation, the recruits into advanced diploma and baccalaureate degree programs need to be increased. A maldistribution of recruits among regions persists, while the distribution of nurses is relatively balanced. Multiple strategies should be adopted to achieve a balance between the supply and demand of nurses, with providing more higher-educated nurses in all regions across mainland China.
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Education, Nursing , Students, Nursing , China , Humans , WorkforceABSTRACT
Objective: this study aims to analyze and characterize the movement of expansion of Nursing undergraduate courses in Brazil since the 1990s. The characteristics of this expansion are discussed, as well as the socio-political setting where such movement occurred, and the quality of education available based on the data collected. Method: this is a descriptive and cross-sectional study with a quali-quantitative approach, with the use of secondary databases. Results: an accelerated and disordered growth of Nursing undergraduate courses was identified, as well as the number of vacancies, especially due to the participation of the private sector, especially since the year 2000. Geographical inequalities in the distribution of these courses and vacancies were also identified. Conclusion: the strong expansion of higher education in Nursing, along with other health professions, resulted in the strengthening of private higher education institutions associated with economic groups, regional concentration, as well as the excessive offer of distance learning without adequate evaluation of its quality or repercussions.
Objetivo: o presente estudo visa analisar e caracterizar o movimento de expansão dos cursos de graduação de enfermagem no Brasil a partir dos anos 90. Discutem-se as características desta expansão, o cenário sócio-político em que ocorreu tal movimento, bem como a qualidade do ensino disponível com base nos dados coletados. Método: trata-se de um estudo descritivo, transversal e de abordagem quali-quantitativa, com o uso de bases de dados secundárias. Resultados: foi identificado um crescimento acelerado e desordenado dos cursos de graduação em enfermagem, bem como do número de vagas, devido especialmente à participação do setor privado, em especial a partir do ano 2000. Desigualdades geográficas na distribuição desses cursos e vagas também foram identificadas. Conclusão: a forte expansão do ensino superior em enfermagem, ao lado de outras profissões de saúde, resultou no fortalecimento de instituições privadas de ensino superior associadas a grupos econômicos, na concentração regional, bem como na oferta excessiva da modalidade de ensino a distância sem avaliação adequada de sua qualidade ou repercussões.
Objetivo: el presente estudio tiene como objetivo analizar y caracterizar el movimiento de expansión de las carreras de grado en enfermería en Brasil a partir de la década del 90. Se discuten las características de esta expansión, el escenario sociopolítico en el que ocurrió este movimiento, así como la calidad de la educación disponible según los datos recopilados. Método: se trata de un estudio descriptivo, transversal con enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo, utilizando bases de datos secundarias. Resultados: se identificó un crecimiento acelerado y desordenado de las carreras de licenciatura en enfermería, así como el número de cupos, debido fundamentalmente a la participación del sector privado, especialmente a partir del año 2000. También se identificaron desigualdades geográficas en la distribución de las carreras y los cupos. Conclusión: la fuerte expansión de la educación superior en enfermería, junto con otras profesiones de la salud, favoreció el fortalecimiento de las instituciones privadas de educación superior asociadas a grupos económicos, la concentración regional y la oferta excesiva de educación a distancia sin la correcta evaluación de calidad o de las repercusiones.
