Curricula and learning objectives in nurse practitioner programmes: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Policy
• International Health

Background:

• The nurse practitioner (NP) role is crucial for healthcare efficiency, requiring autonomous practice skills.
• Significant barriers exist in NP role implementation, notably varying educational requirements.
• Previous research highlights the need for uniform international NP education standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of research on nurse practitioner (NP) education.
• To compile and analyze the content of NP curricula and learning objectives globally.
• To inform the development of standardized international NP educational frameworks.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage methodological framework for the scoping review.
• Conducted comprehensive literature searches in PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, and Google Scholar (March-June 2019).
• Employed thematic analysis to synthesize findings on NP curriculum content and learning objectives.

Main Results:

• The review systematically compiled and analyzed existing research on NP educational programs.
• Identified key components of NP curricula and common learning objectives across different international contexts.
• Highlighted variations and commonalities in NP education, providing a basis for standardization.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing NP education is essential for global healthcare efficiency and NP role implementation.
• The findings provide a comprehensive overview of current NP curricula and learning objectives.
• Recommendations for harmonizing NP educational standards will be disseminated to stakeholders.