The emerging role of the British nurse teacher in Project 2000 programmes: a Delphi survey

The findings of a three-round Delphi survey, conducted to explore the role of the British nurse teacher as it emerges within Project 2000 programmes, are discussed. The panel of experts comprising 201 grade 2 nurse teachers was drawn from the 25 of the 28 colleges in England who had implemented Project 2000 between September 1989 and April 1991. The findings highlight the complex and multifaceted role of the nurse teacher and the changes which are occurring in the role. Currently, the main changes are related to teaching and learning activities. These emphasize the depth, level and specialist nature of the teaching, and teaching on a variety of courses at diploma and degree level. Assessment activities are given the highest overall rating as important, and recruitment activities the lowest, in both the current and future roles. Educational management and administrative activities are found to be numerous and currently do not appear to be declining. The few changes that have occurred to the administrative areas have been replaced with similar activities. Another important area for the future was perceived to be research activity. In view of the developing partnership with higher education in the United Kingdom, this is not a surprising finding.