Models of nursing as the basis for curriculum development: some rationales and implications

Within this paper the notion of a model of nursing as a basis for curriculum development is explored. Firstly the factors which a curriculum developer in nursing might take under initial consideration are discussed. It is then argued that a nursing faculty must identify and define its conceptualization of nursing and what it is to be a nurse. The process of conceptualizing nursing itself is examined. The paper goes onto argue that once a nursing faculty has reached a consensus view as to what constitutes nursing, then it either designs or selects a model of nursing which supports their particular conceptualization. Educational literature is cited to support the view that curriculum design, process and content are interrelated and that student learning is facilitated when the relationship between these three factors is coordinated. It is suggested that a nursing curriculum can achieve such an integration if a model of nursing is used as the conceptual framework. Finally some of the implications of adopting a model of nursing are stated.