A review of curriculum evaluation in United Kingdom nursing education

Recently we have witnessed several significant changes to the nursing curriculum in the United Kingdom (UK). This review forms part of a larger study evaluating the 'fitness for practice' elements of the nursing curriculum in Scotland. Systematic review methods were used including the following databases: CINAHL and BNI. Twenty six papers were retrieved and 14 remained after applying the review criteria, the main rationale being the empirical focus. It appears that there is a paucity of research in this area in the UK and papers dealt exclusively with either content, process or outcome evaluation of the nursing curriculum. National, well funded, multi-centre studies tended to be more rigorous. Results, where they were positive about curricular changes, tended to be limited. There is clearly a need for rigorous research into curriculum evaluation, both at the micro and macro level, which investigates content, process and outcome. Without such research, curriculum change will be uninformed.