The Future for Nursing Education: UKCC Review has Relevance for New Zealand 

Abstract
The strategic review of undergraduate nursing education recently commissioned by the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) will provide a focus for nursing education in Aotearoa/New Zealand in the immediate future. Recently the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) completed its own review of undergraduate nursing education. The published report ‘Fitness for Practice’, has many areas of relevance for New Zealand educators in outlining possible strategies for nursing education. Issues such as recruitment and access to education; retention; clinical assessment and placements; clinical skill acquisition and partnership are valid concerns for educators here also. Internationally the commonalties in issues of concern are remarkable and lend validity to the concept of the global village and the necessity for a global perspective in health care workforce planning, including educational preparation. Discussion of some of the recommendations informs nursing education of the possibilities for forward progress in these times of continual change in health care delivery systems.  

Keywords
Undergraduate nursing education, international trends    

Introduction
The start of a new century provides a moment to reflect on progress made in nursing education and to plan for the future. Predictions of an ageing population (including nurses) with a changing focus of health care delivery, impact upon the profession at all levels. Current plans to embark upon a strategic review of undergraduate nursing education provide a welcome opportunity for nursing as a profession to consider the aims and goals of preparation for nursing practice in the future. The Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ, 1999) intends the review to incorporate a comprehensive environmental scan, a definition of the nurse of the future and thence consideration of the best preparation required for that nurse. Continued