Nursing education and practice in a changing environment: the case of Greece

The importance of education in the development of nursing as a profession and as a science has been emphasized over the last decade. Therefore, this article aims to highlight the current situation of undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education in Greece and to propose directions for its improvement. Undergraduate nursing education in Greece is two dimensional. Prospective students can obtain a degree as a registered nurse through both university-based degree studies and Technological Educational Institute (TEI) studies that differ significantly in both the provision of clinical experience and theoretical background due to their different course curricula and teaching staff. University graduates are provided with a better theoretical background while TEI graduates are usually better in clinically skills, even though both programmes lead to professional registration and are in accordance with European Union directives. Postgraduate studies in nursing science are mainly organized by the University of Athens, but recently joint postgraduate degrees of other university departments and TEIs, are possible. Changes that will lead to one common undergraduate nursing education leading to registration as a registered nurse, and organized in such a way that will reduce the gap between theory and practice is a proposal that is gradually gaining acceptance by the profession. However, the development of a single nursing degree in Greece is complex, and close cooperation between the government and the professional authorities is essential.