Nurse education in an international context: the contribution of contingency

Attempts to reform nurse education in the U.K. have met with limited success. A brief examination of similar moves in other countries reveals a similar situation. Placing experiences in this country in the context of global reform, it is possible to suggest that three sets of conditions need to be satisfied for change to follow: these relate to context, convergence and contingency. Context refers to the creation of a positive climate of opinion or a case and pressure for change. Convergence refers to the fortuitous fusion of professional and government agendas. Contingency provides the unforeseen consequence, the spark that ignites a policy change. The implications for further educational reform in this country are briefly discussed.