Nursing higher education in MERCOSUR: a bibliometric study

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Education

Background:

• Nursing education is crucial for public health policy development.
• The MERCOSUR region faces unique challenges and opportunities in higher education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze scholarly productions on nursing higher education within MERCOSUR member states.
• To map the research landscape concerning nursing education in the region.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative bibliometric study was conducted.
• Searches were performed in databases including BVS, Capes, SciELO, Scopus, and PubMed.
• Data encompassed publications from 2006 to 2015, yielding 301 articles.

Main Results:

• Key themes include nurse education for public health policies, teacher training, and the teaching-learning process.
• A notable gap exists in publications addressing distance education technologies in health fields.
• The analysis highlights specific areas of focus and under-researched topics in MERCOSUR nursing education.

Conclusions:

• The study contributes to the discourse on nursing education within MERCOSUR.
• Findings underscore the importance of aligning nursing education with regional agreements, such as the Educational MERCOSUR agreement.
• Future research should address the identified gap in distance education technologies for health professions.