An unending challenge: how official decisions have influenced the teaching of nursing in Norway

Over a period of more than 50 years, there have been huge changes in nursing education in Norway owing to large numbers of political and other official resolutions.

To evaluate how these decisions have had influence upon the role of the nurse teacher.

The contents of political documents, government-sponsored curricula and articles in The Norwegian Nurse Organization's journal Sykepleien were analysed.

The main findings are structured into two periods. During the period from 1950 to 1979, nurse education was strongly bound by official detailed terms for the curriculum, and the role of the teacher was ruled by these regulations. In the next period, from 1980 to the present, the situation in nursing education changed. From now on, the teachers had to develop the curricula based on more general plans and regulations. During these years, the numbers of students increased dramatically, and there also was tremendous pressure on nurse teachers to undertake further qualifications and to do scientific work. At the same time, the teachers had to fulfil their duties in teaching and supervising the students, and support their supervisors in clinical practice.

The role of the nurse teachers in Norway has, in many ways, been driven by many different interests and they are still struggling to meet the different demands made upon them.