Abstract
Radical reform of the arrangements for pre-registration nurse education and the recommendation that nurse teaching become a graduate profession prompted a reappraisal of the arrangements for nurse teacher preparation. This thesis reports an evaluation of a new form of preparation for nurse teaching. The new courses were intended to combine advanced study of nursing with educational theory and practice, and led to an honours degree and a teaching qualification recordable on the professional register. The study used the fourth generation evaluation model as a theoretical framework. During the early stages of the work, a secondary research purpose emerged - to evaluate the fourth generation model. This model has a qualitative focus, and emphasises the participation of all stakeholders with an interest in the outcomes of the evaluation. Participants in the enquiry were student nurses, nurse teachers, and to a lesser extent, teacher course leaders. The multi-method research design included document analysis; group interviews; postal questionnaires; non-participant observation; individual interviews. Rich qualitative data obtained from a small number of participants illuminated the quantitative data gathered from a national postal survey of all the nurse teachers (n=109) who graduated in 1992 from the seven courses studied. A joint construction of an effective nurse teacher was developed from the data. It was concluded that the nurse teachers were broadly satisfied with the quality of the preparation courses. However, of the nine role elements included in the preparation courses, in only three elements did more than half the nurse teachers feel equipped for their new roles. In six role elements more than half the nurse teachers did not feel equipped. Credibility of the enquiry findings, the conclusions and recommendations were enhanced by a quality audit of the enquiry process and a critical review of the theoretical model. The fourth generation evaluation model was shown to be effective in revealing deficits in nurse teacher preparation which had become apparent when the respondents embarked on their new roles. Recommendations based on the findings encompassed both action and further research and were directed towards i) improving current courses for nurse teacher preparation ii) re-examining a crucial role element - the clinical role iii) re-examining the focus, location and organisation of nurse teacher preparation.iv) further creative application of the fourth generation model.